Viola
by merimekko
Summary: V and Evey have been reunited for over a year and now they are expecting an interesting surprise. How will they be able to progress in their relationship with this new gift? Movieverse and alternate ending.
1. Chapter 1

There was something about Evey Hammond that always took V's breath away. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was about her that made him swoon with absolute awe. Of course behind the mask she wasn't able to catch him staring at her and she continued on with her lively work story with great enthusiasm.

"That's when Eric walked in and saw me freaking out. I swear he thought I was absolutely mad. That spider was massive! I couldn't stop screaming!" she said, giggling uncontrollably.

"V, it seems as though your tactics of making me let go of my fear did not extend to my fear of spiders. How sad and pathetic is that?" she asked, briefly taking a sip of her tea.

He remained silent for a moment, lost in thought and clearly distracted. She gave him a weird look and placed a gentle hand on his. This caused him to jump slightly at her touch and he laughed nervously.

"You're quite right, Evey. I do believe my tactics of ridding your fear did not extend to that of your fear of spiders."

Evey gave him a crooked smile and shook her head gently, "You're thinking very hard about something. What is it?"

He leaned back and laughed nervously again, feeling the heat immediately brush his cheeks. He was thankful Evey could not see him blush. "If you are suggesting that I was not paying attention to your story, you are clearly mistaken. In any case, how would you be able to tell?" he asked playfully.

Evey's eyes suddenly narrowed with a mischievous glint, a vast smile spreading across her perfect lips, "Because you hesitated before you replied."

V immediately scoffed in a lighthearted manner at her accusation and quickly stood, gathering their cups and saucers as he glided over to the sink to wash them, "Despite the fact that I know you cannot read my facial expressions with clarity, I will ensure you that just because I hesitated only a little does not mean I was lost in thought."

Evey laughed and stood from the table, stretching her tired limbs as she watched him carefully, "Oh V, I don't even know why you try to fool me anymore. Do you remember your promise to me? How there would no more secrets and no more lies, no more locked doors and missing keys? I believe that is still relevant."

He suddenly turned then to look at her, his hands immediately pausing their task. He narrowed his head towards the ground and then back up to look at her with a sincere gaze, "You're quite right, my love. I guess sometimes I can't help myself. You have a certain air about you that is so pleasing and full of light that always seems to catch me off guard. I was truly interested in your story, but I must admit that I was taken aback by how beautiful you were in that moment."

Evey did not know how to respond to V's truthful and loving comment. It had been over a year since they had blown up parliament and V was able to successfully remove himself from the train. He kept himself hidden for a while, hoping that Evey would continue their revolution with strength and dignity and the assurance of her own decisions. However, he could not help himself but to finally return to her loving arms once he regained his health. Their relationship had taken off immediately and he was constantly amazed by her gentle character, her loving embrace and her acceptance of how timid and slow he was at returning her gestures. He was always a gentleman, constantly making sure she felt safe in his presence. He did not want to frighten her by his appearance, but that didn't seem to phase her in the slightest. Her patience with him was an incredible act that he was not sure he deserved. The demons in the back of his mind continuously tortured him with sayings of hateful and bitter remarks and reminding him of the monster he was.

However, Evey did not view him in that way at all. She could admit that maybe a part of her a very long time ago resented him and the way that he had tortured her so easily, but she grew to accept that it was in her best interest to understand why she was chosen to lead his revolution and to continue on his work. She spent several weeks staying in the Shadow Gallery after he had presumably passed away, and she engrossed herself in his books about Art, Literature and History. She immersed herself in the subjects so much that she caught herself discussing those topics with others on a daily basis. Evey was completely thankful for the world that V had opened up to her and could not imagine her life without him and his influence. Especially now that he was alive.

She took a few steps towards him and then one more before she wrapped her small arms around his waist. He gently put the dishes down and returned her warm embrace with ease. No matter how detrimental his mind was, he knew the true feelings of this woman. She raised her head ever so slightly to place a small peck on the tip of Guy Fawke's chin and looked at him with complete sincerity.

"I love you, V." she whispered.

His gaze held firm on her delicate and kind eyes and he squeezed her delicate frame gently, "I love you." he replied.

* * *

Later that evening both V and Evey decided to retire to their respective quarters for a while to get some work done. It felt like a dream to be on this vacation and she suddenly dreaded the thought of having to go back into work on Monday. However, the revolution needed her and her role as "Princess" to resume her guidance and lead their new world.

Eric Finch was her sole counterpart in leading the revolution and she relied heavily on his opinions and friendship. She never thought she would be capable of leading something that was so important for the future of their species during a time like this, but she was grateful that V chose her to do so and that Eric supported her.

Now that V was alive and well he mostly stayed out of her business with the revolution. She of course filled him in on most of what was happening, but she knew he felt somewhat hesitant to give his complete thoughts on any of the matters that concerned their government. That frustrated her in some way because she often felt as though she wasn't good enough for her role, but once the thoughts emerged she tried to push them away.

As she sat down at her desk in her small room she started to look for her laptop. Once found, she immediately began to pull up the documents she was working on until she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She leaned back in her chair then and took a deep breath.

"Maybe that supper was too rich for me," she wondered aloud, shaking her head as she situated herself again to work.

She was able to finish writing a proposal she was working on for women to be paid on maternity leave, but suddenly the feeling came back to her and she couldn't hold it in any longer. Jumping up out of her seat she ran out the door and into the hallway bathroom. She quickly locked the door behind her and went straight for the commode.

Whimpering, Evey managed to flush what had been left in her stomach away and she stood slowly. She felt extremely light headed and exhausted and it took her a moment to adjust. After she managed to brush her teeth and take a sip of water, she opened the door just to find V approaching her.

"My dear are you alright? I wasn't sure if you were unwell or not until I realized you had been in the bathroom for a while," he said as he gently touched her arm. Evey looked up at him with a pitiful expression, "I don't know what happened. I was working and suddenly I felt very sick and so I threw up a bit and now I just feel weak."

Evey had to admit that she was embarrassed for admitting that she had been sick, but it didn't seem to concern V in the slightest as he wrapped a strong arm behind her and guided her to her room. She slipped into her night gown and V helped her to the bed. He sat beside her and spoke softly to her that everything would be alright and he asked if she needed him to bring her anything.

"Some water, please," she whispered.

V nodded his head and swiftly went to the kitchen to fetch her what she requested. He felt terrible that his cooking had made her ill and he began to wonder if he had prepared something incorrectly for her. "That couldn't be true, otherwise I would be sick as well. Although I guess she is a bit more fragile than myself," he mumbled as he walked briskly back to her room.

When he returned she had her eyes closed and her pale complexion was illuminated by the small lamp on her bed side table.

"Evey, would you like a sip?" he asked softly.

Her eyes suddenly popped open and she gave him a feeble smile, "Thank you," she whispered.

V helped her sit up as he gave her a sip of water and she held onto his wrist for support, "I wish I could understand what made you so ill my love. I guess maybe I should go easy on my use of Chancellor Sutler's butter," he joked, hoping that would ease her pain. It was successful and she let out a small laugh, "Even in death he manages to still torture people."

"I will be sure to be sensitive to your needs my dear. Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked.

"Yes, will you stay with me?"

V chuckled and nodded his head, the glint of light that came from the lamp was shining brightly on the Guy Fawke's mask, "You know that was a given from the start."

Once V was settled in the bed and the lights were off, Evey immediately cuddled into his side. Even after a year and a half of living with one another V still kept most of his protective clothing on to shield himself from exposure. Evey was more than fine with his decision and completely respected his comfort. "Are you feeling any better, Evey?" he asked gently.

"I am still a bit queasy, but I think once I fall asleep I will be fine," she whispered.

V wasn't convinced that she was truly fine, but respected her reply all the same. He knew he wasn't going to be able to sleep very well that night so he would wait until she fell asleep before he would grab the current book he was reading and sit by her bedside.

* * *

The next morning Evey awoke to the smell of breakfast being prepared and soft sounds coming from the Wurlitzer. It was an all too familiar routine to her as she wiped the sleep from her eyes and yawned stiffly. Although she was grateful for V being such an early bird, it also made her feel guilty that she did not do the same things for him. She sat up as quickly as she could but instantly regretted it as her legs dangled off the side of the bed. That's when she noticed her stomach still felt rather queasy and the usual smell of her favorite eggs in a basket did not seem as appealing.

Walking into the kitchen she stopped briefly to observe V cooking and he immediately turned around to provide her with some comfort, "Hello my fair lady! How are you feeling? I've made you your favorite!" he beamed as he came to grab her hands.

"Oh V, you are always so good to me. I really appreciate you making me breakfast, but I still feel unwell," she felt awful for refusing his kindness, but V softened his posture and squeezed her hand in his. His protective gloves were no where in sight and he ran his thumb over her knuckles, "I'm sorry you still feel ill, Evey. Could I make you a cup of tea?"

"That would be lovely," she replied.

After one last squeeze he let her go to lounge on the chaise as he prepared her tea. The nausea was still very present and she hated the thought of skipping her favorite meal, but it was a nice feeling to have someone care about her as much as V did. He quickly brought her the cup of hot tea and sat beside her, helping her feel as comfortable as he possibly could.

"I hope this helps some, love. Can I bring you anything else?" he asked as he helped her adjust to laying on the couch. She grinned suddenly at his fussing over her and willingly spread her legs over his lap for him to rub them, "I think I'm okay for now. I hope whenever you feel unwell I will be able to care for you the same as you have for me, V."

He chuckled softly and squeezed her leg, "I doubt that will ever happen, but I will accept your attentiveness at any given time."

She grinned and took a sip of her tea.

"I wish I knew what made me so ill. Your cooking never makes me feel sick and I know you would never make a mistake. Do you think any of our supplies has gone bad?" she asked.

V shrugged, shaking his head, "I'm equally as confused as you are. I would be able to tell if something had gone bad in our stock pile. Maybe I should recheck everything today while you are resting to make sure. I think we are running out of a few things anyway so I should probably fetch some more supplies soon."

"If there is anything that I can do to help, please let me know," she said giving him a sincere look.

He shook his head again and sighed, "Now you know I'm not going to ask that of you today. The most you can do to help me is to regain your strength. I don't think Mr. Finch will know what to do without you on Monday."

Evey giggled and nodded in agreement, "That is true. If that spider comes back it might take off his hand!"

"You are either quite right, or very dramatic. I can never tell," he teased, squeezing her leg again.

* * *

As Evey was resting in the other room, V began to check his stock pile of food. It was a very strange notion for him to accept that maybe he missed something the last time he had checked their supplies. He very rarely made such mistakes when taking inventory of his food. However, his pride would have to be set aside as he went through the crates of vegetables and other perishables in his massive refrigerator beneath the Shadow Gallery.

"Everything checks out," he said to himself as he took a step back to observe his findings.

His mind began to wander as he paced the room, thinking of different scenarios of what could have made his love so ill. It was very unlike her to get sick during such a time and based on her demeanor there really shouldn't have been any explanation for it.

He felt discouraged that he could not figure out what could have made her so weak and he felt guilty for not being able to solve the problem any faster. He sighed harshly and went to turn the lights off in the freezing room. He would need to blow off some steam in his training room to be able to let go of his negativity.

Meanwhile Evey was resting on the couch, her thoughts equally in turmoil as she reflected on her daily activities over the past few days. She remained active and often trained with V to gain exercise, her diet was consistent and healthy and she felt as though she drank enough water every day. Could it be that she was just catching a bug?

Feeling irritated she slowly sat up from the couch and retreated to the kitchen where she grabbed a banana. It was easy on her stomach and she felt slightly better as she began to chew. Maybe all she needed was to rest and to stop worrying over her condition and to just focus on getting better. The time that she had off from work gave her a chance to rest and think about what was important. She realized that if she did not focus on her health she would feel even worse come Monday.

She sat back on the chaise and turned on the t.v, trying to avoid her negativity.

* * *

Evey propped her legs up in the bath, the warm water and bubbles sloshing over her in a comforting way. She sighed with content as she allowed the water to relieve her of her symptoms.

Earlier that day she was able to eat some dry toast and chicken noodle soup and she felt as though she was finally recovering. She wanted to be sure she could attend her meeting tomorrow with Eric and the other council members completely healthy, so V talked her into taking a relaxing bath and promised to rub her feet afterward.

V had provided her with lavender bath salts and moisturizer as a way to help her ease her aches and pains. She closed her eyes and allowed the sweet smells to help her drift as she let her thoughts creep over her.

She began to think over the last few days she had been with V and how wonderful it was to spend so much time with him. Over the past year and a half they had been together she couldn't be any more happy with how their relationship had progressed and where they were headed in their future.

Their relationship could be seen as dysfunctional or even confusing to a person who did not understand the love that they had for one another. It was hard for them to be out in public given everything they had been through after the destruction of parliament and V's presumable death. If they were out at all it was only at night when V could disguise himself in one of his many costumes to deflect any onlooker's thoughts. Evey was a very recognizable figure in their society today so the less people knew about her personal life the better.

Eric was already aware that V had been alive for quite some time. He knew about their relationship and was kind enough to respect their privacy. Evey was thankful for him even though she knew V did not care for him very much. It was a relief to her that she could be open to someone about her secret life when she felt so exposed in every other aspect.

Evey then began to reflect on her romance with V and smiled giddily at the thought. It had only been a few months ago that he had willingly took off his mask for her to touch his face, to feel his scars and to kiss him. He very rarely allowed this to happen based on his shyness and lack of self confidence.

She remembered when he would resist her desires and push her away from his inner thoughts and feelings. It pained her to see him go through such emotions after being tortured and unloved for so long. She wanted to ease his sorrows and to assure him of her love and devotion, but she knew at the time the best way to do those things was to give him space and her patience.

It wasn't too long after he removed his mask that he became more confident and self assured in their intimate moments. He would stop himself from moving too quickly if he felt as though he could not handle the situation and each time Evey backed off to give him some breathing room. She constantly reassured him of her patience for his space and whispered constantly to him that she loved him and would wait for him for however long it took.

It was just recently, maybe a little over a month ago, that he decided that he wanted to go farther with her. She remembered the way his rough hands felt against her smooth skin with his contrasting yet gentle kisses down her neck. It was a euphoric moment for her to be with the man she was madly in love with and to feel every part of him.

She did not know what he looked like, but her hands often brushed the scars on his face and his chest to give her an idea. His chiseled abs and upper body were battered with terrible scars and rough patches of flesh which broke her heart. She kissed each of them with the same amount of love and passion as she did every other part of him.

Suddenly her breathing began to slow as she reflected on how those soft kisses transitioned into them making love for the first time. They were both nervous and V was almost sure of himself that he could not provide for her what she so desired, but after taking a chance and pushing his inner demons aside, he was able to give in to her in a way he wasn't so sure he was able to do before he met her.

She remembered feeling incredibly concerned for his wellbeing and she constantly asked if he was sure and that if he was not ready she would not be upset, but it was of his own accord did he silence her with a passionate kiss and began to undress her from her night gown and to assure her that he was ready to be with her completely.

It was then that she opened her eyes and a soft smile formed over her lips, her yearning for her beloved suddenly increasing as she stretched and got up from the tub. She dried off quickly with one of the warm and fluffy towels he had bought for her and walked over to the sink to remove her contacts from her eyes.

Taking the towel off of her body to observe her skin before applying her moisturizer she noticed something strange about her abdomen. She normally did not feel very bloated when she was not on her monthly cycle and she found it very curious that she seemed slightly bigger than usual.

Suddenly a breath caught in her throat as she placed her hand gently over the lower part of her stomach. She turned to the side and tried to suck in whatever she could to see if she could find a difference in her appearance. When nothing really changed, she frowned.

 _Could it be?_

Evey then considered the last time she had had her period and realized she couldn't even remember. She was never concerned with things like that because she and V had only been intimate once and he had noted that he didn't think he was able to even have children.

 _Yet, could it be?_

She slipped on her pajamas and breathed out shakily, wondering how she would determine whether this was true.

* * *

The next day, Evey felt better but her curiosity seemed to be getting the best of her the entire day. She was lost in thought all afternoon, wondering how she would even tell V if it were true. She tried her best the night before to be as normal as she possibly could around him so that she would not concern him and he seemed to buy into her facade. Feeling relieved that she could leave the Shadow Gallery for a while gave her an opportunity to consider all of her options before she returned home.

It was on her lunch break did she decide to run to the market to retrieve a few pregnancy tests. She wanted to be absolutely positive before she made any rash conclusions about anything. After buying the tests she hid them in her purse and walked briskly back to work.

When she came back to her office she immediately headed for the rest area and closed the door. She was so nervous by the time she got inside a stall that she wasn't sure she was going to be able to hold the test steady in her hands.

Once she finished, she held the test firmly and thought over the directions again, "I can't believe I have to wait ten minutes for this," she mumbled.

Finally, something appeared on the small screen on the test and her heart began to skip multiple beats. It was a tiny, pink _plus_.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello everyone! This is my very first fanfiction and I am really excited to share with you all my interpretation of these wonderful characters in a fluffy (but not for long) story of Evey being pregnant with V's child. I've been thinking about this for weeks, but I never had the courage (or time) to really write anything down until now. I really wanted to jump into the meat of their relationship and to explore something that might end up being extremely controversial or wonderful to their universe. This is a short and rather boring chapter, but it will grow to be more exciting soon! I love this movie very much and your reviews of my writing would be wonderful! I hope you all enjoy~**


	2. Chapter 2

Time seemed to freeze the moment Evey realized she was pregnant. She was in such disbelief that she nearly fainted in the confinement of the stall. Bracing herself against the walls, she stood and attempted to calm her breathing. Technically it was just _one_ test, so did that mean it was completely accurate? Looking down at the tightly bound watch on her wrist she noted the time.

 _Shit, I have none._

It was nearing the end of her lunch break and she did not have enough time to take another test to prove the first one wrong. She would have to wait until her meetings were finished with Eric, Dominic and a few of the other council members. If anything, if this were true, there would be more consequences she would have to face apart from V's reaction.

Evey quickly removed herself from the wet room and made her way back into the hallway. The fluorescent lights above her were suddenly making her feel nauseous and she wondered then if she was going to be able to sit through this with a straight face. When she entered the conference room, three men greeted her with their pleasantries and gestured for her to sit at the head. Smiling as confidently as she could, she eased herself into the black leather chair beneath her. Eric glanced at her with a hint of concern, but immediately began to discuss their topics of the hour.

"Miss Hammond, we were just discussing the upcoming elections that will be held this coming November on the 5th. We wanted to introduce you to one of the candidates today and discuss with you future meetings with the other candidates for the rest of this week," Eric said as he gestured to the gentleman who was sitting in front of him.

"Miss Hammond, my name is Willard Bass and I will be running for the democratic party. It is certainly quite a pleasure and an honor to be in your presence."

Smiling respectfully she tilted her head downwards, "Mr. Bass, it is quite a pleasure to meet you. I have heard absolutely brilliant things about you and I look forward to hearing your upcoming speeches within the next few months."

Mr. Bass smiled at her with kind eyes and returned her head gesture.

"Who are the rest of the candidates that I will be meeting with this week, Mr. Finch?" Evey asked, folding her arms across the table.

As Mr. Finch briefly listed the other candidate's names her mind began to wander. She wanted to listen to what he was saying, but she also began to feel a bit faint from the lingering thoughts in her mind. It was only a matter of time before Mr. Finch brought her back to reality, "Miss Hammond? Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes. I apologize. What did you say again?" she asked, feeling the heat creep up to her cheeks.

"It's quite all right, I just asked if you would be able to adjust your busy schedule one day this week to have tea with Mr. Bass, myself and the rest of the candidates?"

Evey immediately shook her head, "Of course. I will check with Jane to see what I have planned for the week."

"That sounds perfect Miss Hammond, we will begin the planning of that immediately. In the mean time we wish to hear from Mr. Bass and his plans on his presidency for the coming year if he is elected," replied Mr. Finch.

"Yes, well, I do have a bit in mind for how I plan to rebuild the destruction of our government and how we can make Britain great again. Our country is badly damaged from the lack of support of our rights and I plan to instill hope in our people again by first practicing our freedom of speech," Mr. Willard beamed, his confidence clearly oozing out of his words.

Evey smiled, "I believe you have a wonderful foundation to build on just as the other candidates, but what makes you stand out from the others?"

"I plan to unite the country under the promise of liberty, loyalty and justice, something I believe I take more seriously than my fellow running mates," he responded, shrugging his shoulders ever so slightly.

Despite how devastatingly simple his reply was, Evey had to acknowledge his faith in understanding the basic rights of their people. She smiled gently and nodded her head in acceptance, "Mr. Bass, once again I am very eager to hear more about you and your campaign as we approach the 5th, I do hope you will remain this confident throughout the election."

"Miss Hammond although I have impressive competition before me I am very self-assured of my campaign and my plan to rebuild this country from the ground up."

Evey smiled softly, "I wish you luck."

* * *

For the rest of the meeting Evey, Mr. Finch, Dominic Stone and Mr. Bass continued to discuss different solutions of how the election would be brought to their people and how they could continue as a nation from their catastrophic past. It often puzzled Evey when she reflected on where England had come from and where they wanted to go in their future. It puzzled her even more to realize she was at the head of it all trying to correct the wrong doings of Chancellor Sutler's reign.

As they came to a conclusion for the day, Evey glanced at her watch again. It was nearing 5 o'clock in the evening and she would need to return home soon before it got too dark.

She was also dying to know what the second test would say.

Standing to shake hands with each of the gentlemen, Mr. Bass gripped her palm firmly and smiled, "Miss Hammond, I am greatly honored to work alongside you at this given time. I never imagined that I would be able to get to where I am right now, but you and codename "V" will always remain a great inspiration to me,"

"Mr. Bass, please you may call me Evey, it was certainly a pleasure to be able to meet with you today and to discuss your plans. If you need anything please get in contact with my secretary, Jane, and my door is always open," she responded, letting her hand drop to her side.

He smiled and nodded, "I appreciate that very much, Evey, thank you. I hope you have a pleasant evening and I will see you for tea soon,"

When she was able to break away, Evey immediately headed for the wet room and closed the door swiftly behind her. Since she was leaving so late in the evening she was able to lock the door from the inside without the fear of someone bothering her.

She whipped out another test and sat in the stall, patiently awaiting her fate again. She thought about the first test and went to grab it from her purse. It was buried in a piece of toilet paper and she furrowed her brows again at the sight.

A part of her was terrified of what was yet to come. She wanted to believe that maybe things would be all right and that she would be able to find a new found happiness in having a child. However, she was worried about the life it would have in their newly built world that was still hurting so much from their past.

Closing her eyes tightly once she was finished, she clutched the test within her palm and sighed deeply, "I will be okay if this is positive, I will be okay," she whispered.

Just as before, a tiny, pink plus appeared on the screen.

"Oh dear,"

* * *

Evey briskly walked out of her office building with a furrowed brow. The chilly spring air was whipping around and biting at her soft cheeks, causing them to turn rosy and flushed. She was irritated at how cold it still was that evening despite it being late April. She turned down a corner hastily and tried to calm herself with positive thoughts.

 _Everything will be all right, V is going to be okay, I have nothing to worry about._

It was frustrating for her to be so distraught over something that was supposed to bring her such joy and happiness, but she was worried for V and how he would respond to this news that was completely unplanned. What worried her even more was how she would tell him.

She stopped immediately on the sidewalk and crossed her arms, "No, you know what. This is silly. I shouldn't assume those things about V. He loves me, he would do anything for me and I him. If this is hard it will only strengthen our relationship, not crush it," she said to herself, suddenly beaming.

Laughing at her fear she felt a sudden release in her tension. It was insane to think that she was pregnant with the former terrorist's child and that they were madly in love. It was insane that she had even doubted his love in the first place. She would tell him with enthusiasm and it was going to be marvelous and she would kiss him like she never had before. She was having his child and it would be the most incredible experience of their lives.

With sudden bliss from her realization, Evey began to skip down the street happily, laughing at how wonderful her life suddenly was.

In the mean time, a dark presence was looming over Evey and watched her carefully. The figure took note of her whereabouts and her dynamic change in demeanor. As she skipped down the alleyway the figure crept hidden beneath the shadows, their eyes never once faltering from her.

Leaning against the wall with utmost silence, the figure was disturbed when a few people passed near him with their crooning laughter. The distraction lead to him losing sight of the Princess and she disappeared within seconds.

He would find her again.

* * *

Evey's footsteps daintily crossed over the dreary passageways that lead to the Shadow Gallery. As she approached the door, motion censored lights illuminated her presence. V had only just installed them for her since she had been staying with him and he realized that she would need some sort of light when she entered the tunnels by herself in the evening.

When she arrived at the heavy wooden door she pushed it open and grinned once the smell of spices and other comforting aromas filled her nostrils. V was cooking her favorite: authentic Italian spaghetti. He first introduced her to the dish not too long after they had been reunited and she was absolutely thrilled that he had decided to make that for her tonight of all nights.

"V? Where are you?" she called, taking her coat off and placing it on the coat rack beside her. When she turned around V waltzed out of the kitchen sporting one of his tacky aprons, "Hello my love! How was your day? I thought I would make you a treat for high tea this evening," he said as he gestured to the food behind him.

A wide grin flashed over her pretty face and she ran up to him to throw her arms around his neck. He chuckled softly and lifted her up from the ground, "My you are quite lovable this evening. I take it you must feel much better than last night?" he murmured.

Evey shook her head and kissed the cheek of the Guy Fawkes mask, "Yes. I feel much better. I have something I want to share with you, but only until we have finished eating,"

"Good news I hope? I'm almost finished. I just need to prepare a few more things. You should go get yourself comfortable and I'll serve you your meal," he responded as he gave her a squeeze and let her down onto the floor.

"That sounds wonderful, I'll go get changed," She turned to make a quick exit, but added before she left, "And yes, it is very good news,"

 _This will be easy, he is very relaxed right now and everything will be fine. I'm sure of it._

As she undressed she pulled off the light blue dress she was wearing and laid it gingerly on the chair beside her. She absentmindedly placed a hand on her small yet growing abdomen and smiled. This little gift of hers was going to be one of the best things to happen to them, she just knew it.

She shivered then at the sudden chill that filled the air and hurriedly put on her pajamas. When she headed back into the room V was already setting the table for her.

It warmed her so much to see him so casual and she felt a great excitement stir within her as she admired the shape of his back. His shoulders were sturdy and broad and he held himself with such composure that made her feel weak in the knees. She had a feeling that he would embrace becoming a father very naturally. V turned around then to look at her and she was suddenly staring into the eyes of the Guy Fawkes mask, "Were you gazing at me?" he asked playfully.

A soft laugh erupted from her lips and she felt a chill run down her spine, "No, well, maybe I was. I can't help it you know,"

"Oh I certainly enjoy your lingering gazes considering you are unable to view my true face," he mused and he turned then to finish placing her food on her plate. Evey shook her head and walked towards him slowly until she found her arms around his waist, "I think you're beautiful," she whispered.

She felt his muscles immediately soften and he placed his hand on top of hers. A pang of guilt overcame him then as he imagined himself being able to kiss her without any sort of a barrier in between them. He wondered how on earth he could have possibly gotten so lucky as to find someone who was not only accepting of his mask, but also still considered him to be beautiful despite the monster he was underneath.

"I am in you and you in me, mutual in divine love," he whispered.

"William Blake?" she questioned, watching him as he gently turned to look at her. He touched the tip of her chin with his index finger and smiled, "Correct,"

After what felt like ages of them gazing at one another, V finally broke their stare and gestured for her to sit at the table.

"Did you have a successful meeting today with the council?" He pulled out her chair and made sure she had everything she needed before he sat beside her.

She hesitated a moment before taking a quick bite of her food, "The meeting went brilliantly and I was able to meet one of the new candidates for the upcoming election,"

V folded his arms casually over his broad chest and nodded, "Who were you introduced to?"

"His name is Willard Bass. I believe he has always been involved with politics but was never truly allowed to express his opinion on any matters due to Chancellor Sutler," she responded, "He seemed to be a very good natured fellow and I believe he has true leadership skills,"

"Do you know anything more about him?" V asked. Evey shrugged and continued to eat, "No, not really. Just that he has been involved in politics for a while and that he seems to have a good reputation amongst the people. Tomorrow Eric and I will be reviewing all of the candidates' files before our next meeting. I am also to have tea with them sometime this week."

"Opinions are made to be changed-or how is truth to be got at?" he asked.

"How do you mean?"

"Don't let any of these politicians fool you with their charming demeanors," V warned.

Evey shook her head, "Oh I agree with you, that's why I am planning to have this meeting with Eric tomorrow to make sure of that. Despite everything being quiet on the home front I know there are still many supporters out there of Sutler."

"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers," he sighed with a shake of his head.

"I will make you proud V, you can trust me,"

"I am certain you will, I do not doubt that at all my love," he replied as he grabbed her hand then, his gloves still no where in sight.

"How do you like your meal?" he asked, changing the subject as he gave her hand a squeeze, gesturing thoughtfully to her empty plate, "I haven't seen you with this sort of appetite for quite some time! I suppose that stomach bug of yours really wasn't much to worry about,"

Evey bit her bottom lip at his comment and glanced down at her stomach. It was a curious thing that he had noticed how much food she consumed on a regular basis but didn't seem to notice anything had changed with her overall appearance.

"Yes, well, you know how much I adore your spaghetti, V. You're a fantastic cook," she said with a grin, her almond shaped eyes glittering with adoration.

"I am so pleased to hear that, would you like some more?" he asked politely as he began to stand from the table, "Oh no I think I am finished for now. Maybe you can make me a plate to heat up in the microwave for later?"

"I would love to,"

"Very good. Do you mind if I head to the telly room?" she asked.

"No, not at all. I'll clean up here and we can continue chatting about your day," he said gently as he moved to get her dishes cleaned.

* * *

Lounging on the chaise brought comfort to Evey as she awaited V to join her in the telly room. She felt truly relaxed with the Wurlitzer playing softly in the background and a warm blanket strewn over her small frame. Daydreaming became a regular occurrence for her as she thought about what their life was going to be like in just a few short months. She did not know anything about child birth or raising a baby, but she did know that her stomach would grow and that she would be growing a life inside of her that she had made with her beloved. She wondered then what sort of parents they would be and if their lives would really change at all.

"May I sit down?" V asked, his smooth voice immediately pulling her from her thoughts. Her eyes opened wide and she responded in a small voice, "Yes, you may, but only if we can cuddle,"

"Of course, my love. Anything for you," He then sat down and allowed for her to curl into the crook of his strong arm.

"So what is this good news that you wanted to tell me?" he asked as his thumb gingerly caressed her bare arm.

She shifted to face him on the couch and smiled warmly at him, bringing her hand to his chest as she spoke, "I discovered an unexpected joy last night," she began, her smile growing wider. V chuckled softly and brought his hand over to touch her soft curls that lay so delicately on her shoulder, "An unexpected joy? Whatever do you mean?"

"V...I'm...pregnant," she breathed, her eyes filling with tears of happiness.

He became stiff suddenly and his hand stopped stroking her hair. She felt his muscles become tense and rigid and his breathing began to slow, "You're...with child?" he asked calmly, yet firmly.

Evey's face started to fall, her demeanor changing just as quickly as she realized he was not pleased to hear her news. Several moments of silence clouded around them then as she quietly replied, "Yes...I realized after my bath last night that I looked a little different and I could not remember the last time I had my period and well, considering certain events...," He was moving to stand then and he gently let go of her. An indescribable feeling of hurt hit her once he left her embrace.

"And then I suppose you took a test to confirm your suspicions," he asked, bringing his hands to his head. He felt an urgent need to escape the room and he felt claustrophobic, a feeling he forgot he was capable of having when being around Evey.

"I did...I took two. I can show you,-" she started but he interrupted her, "You...don't have to. I believe you,"

"V? What's all this then? Why are you acting this way?" She hoped he didn't hear the hurt in her voice, but she knew she was straining it to much for him not to notice.

"Evey, I'm going to need some time to process this...I will need to leave you for a while," He immediately began to remove himself from the room and started for his bed chamber, but Evey was quick to grab his arm and he paused, his back still turned to her.

"Please don't leave. Why are you upset?" she asked, her voice becoming weak and uneasy.

"I cannot speak to you like this, I need some time alone to think," he quickly removed himself from her grasp and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.

Feeling completely defeated and heartbroken, she finally let out a painful sob and allowed the tears to flow freely down her face. This was not at all how she imagined their conversation going and it happened so quickly that she felt a type of fragility that she did not know she was still capable of having. She felt uncertain of her way of approaching the subject and instantly regretted her actions. For the first time in a very long time she was fearful of what was yet to come and she wasn't sure if she was prepared for the consequences of their intimacy.

It was a funny thing to note that her gut instinct ended up being true. How naive she must have been to believe this would all come out in joyful celebration.

She placed a gentle hand on her abdomen and squeezed.

* * *

Sitting at his bedside, V held his head in his hands as tears pricked the back of his eyes. He felt so helpless and weak having to hide from Evey in such a way, but he was absolutely astonished over the news and his heart ached for what was yet to come. Over the years at Lark Hill he had been brutally experimented on as a test subject and he knew that his blood was poisonous. He was unsure of what else could possibly be wrong with him and if anything happened to Evey as consequence he could never live with himself.

He began to reflect on all of the different people he knew that might be able to help her, but he hesitated for a moment at the thought of having to expose himself to the world. Their situation was in desperate need of delicate care and V decided that he would do whatever it took, even if it meant sacrificing himself for Evey's safety, to protect her and their unborn child.

Standing abruptly he began to pace his room back and forth. Remembering that he kept a few files on his laptop of different physicians' numbers and addresses he immediately began to search. He remembered meeting with a man just a few years ago when he needed some medical advice who deemed himself rather trustworthy. It was just a matter of getting in contact with him that was the tricky part. He copy and pasted his name into a separate document and decided he would take note of each individual separately.

After a few hours of working he managed to compile a list of names that he felt would be reliable enough for him to be in contact with. If anything he felt brave enough to give them each a chance based on all of his research of each physician. He would ensure that Evey had the best care if anything were to go wrong.

All of the sudden his acute sense of hearing perked up as he heard Evey walking down the hallway. His heart thumped rapidly in his chest as genuine sadness crept within him.

 _I'm doing this for a good reason. She need not know where I am right now._

She was sniffling very softly, trying her best not to make herself a distraction. He could hear her entering the wet room in haste, her delicate footsteps barely making a sound on the stone hallway. Her door shut quietly soon after and he knew she was settling herself into bed. What mattered to him then was her safety and he reasoned that he would be there to comfort her once he had all the tools laid before him.

He gripped his fists tightly as he thought about the merciless torture he went through being at Lark Hill again. Despite his successful revenge on those that had mistreated him he still felt an emptiness inside that twisted its way throughout his organs. He never even considered the possibility of himself being able to procreate and therefore never had a solution to solving the problem if it were to be one. The demons in the back of his mind began to torture him relentlessly and he slammed his laptop shut with great force.

 _You weren't made to be a father, you were made to wage war._

"Stop!" he growled, moving to collect his hat and his cloak. He would need to escape the confinement of these walls before he destroyed everything within them.

He packed his knives into their regular sheaths and quietly crept out the doorway. The hallway was dark and secluded and a few chills ran down his spine. It had been a long while since the Shadow Gallery had felt so barren and he cursed himself silently for being the cause of it all.

Not being able to help himself he walked carefully to Evey's bed chamber, stopping short just beside her door. He could hear that her breathing was even and knew that she was asleep. Opening her door with as little sound as he could possibly muster he checked on her briefly. A lump formed in his throat when he saw her laying there, tears still wet on her cheeks.

I will not fail you my love, I can only pray that you will be able to forgive me.

Shutting her door softly, he glided through the shadows and into the night.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you all so much for your kind reviews of my first chapter! I am so excited that it was received well and I cannot wait to keep unfolding this story for you all! I really hope you enjoy this second chapter and your reviews are always welcomed and appreciated! Enjoy! ~**


	3. Chapter 3

Once V had left the Shadow Gallery an eery silence crept through the entire confinement of Evey's bedchamber. She had not been asleep as he thought she was and she smirked bitterly at the thought. Her hands were wrought underneath the pillow and her delicate tears started to dry on her cheeks. _What could he be so afraid of_? She wondered if it had anything to do with their incredibly bizarre situation. She had a distinct feeling that V would struggle with the news, but she just did not know how much it would effect him.

It dawned on her then that their child would never know the real face of their father and neither would she. They would be forced to take up residency in the Shadow Gallery for the rest of their lives, never being able to have the option of owning a real house with a real yard. It was a painful notion for her to recognize that their baby would not have a normal childhood and an overwhelming feeling of guilt began to weigh her down.

 _This is all my fault._

Their intimacy had given them a challenge that they would have to live with for the rest of their lives. Hopelessness overcame her better judgement and she started to cry again over the pain she had given V. In her selfishness she believed that this baby could change their relationship for the better and she gave no second thought to V's feelings. How cruel was she to steal his life away with something so imposing?

However, despite those feelings of indiscretion they had made the choice together to express their love. This child was a symbol that everything they had been through before and after the rebellion was completely worth every sacrifice. She recognized that V's feelings were justified, but if he were to turn his back on them now what would that say about him and the man that he had become?

Curiosity was getting the best of her and she felt too restless to try and sleep. Arising from her position on the bed she crept to her door and escaped into the corridor. The air was frigid and cold and she let out a shaky breath as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Their home felt strange to her then for the first time in over a year and it nerved her to acknowledge that change. Her feet padded softly on the stone floor and she paused by V's door. Leaning against the wood, she tried her best to listen to see if he was there. When she heard nothing, she placed her hand on the knob and opened it. The old door creaked open mysteriously and she did not find V on the other side.

Making her way inside she shut the door quietly behind her. Although there were no locked doors in the Gallery to her any longer she still felt uneasy sneaking around in V's bedchamber without his permission. Shrugging off her unsure feelings she wandered around until she found a clue as to where he could have gone to. She silently appreciated how tidy he was with his things and immediately discovered his laptop resting on his vanity.

Sitting down slowly she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror before her. Her eyes were pleading with her to not go through with her snooping, but she glared at herself and opened the laptop anyway.

 _I am allowed to know where he has gone to, I'm not afraid of him._

Once the laptop was open she turned it on and waited patiently for the security screen to appear. She knew V would have his laptop under complete lock down and she frowned when she tried to remember his password.

"Oh it's something difficult I'm sure," she muttered with irritation.

Leaning back into the chair she closed her eyes and tried to remember what it possibly could have been. She knew it was an obnoxiously long string of numbers and random letters, something he had come up with a while ago. His password frequently changed as well and she knew that he created a generator that would help him change it once he felt the need to. Evey put her hand to her forehead and sighed, "It shouldn't be that difficult."

After several minutes of pondering she started to give up. It was nearly impossible for her to remember the exact order of the password. She felt frustrated for giving up so quickly, but her pride suddenly got the best of her as she started to type what she felt like she did remember. When she pressed enter, the welcome screen appeared and quickly loaded. A wide grin spread to her cheeks and she searched his desktop for any familiar names. A folder titled _Physicians_ immediately stuck out to her.

"What's all this then?" she asked herself quietly, clicking on the folder. The file immediately loaded and another password protected box appeared again before she could view the file. She cursed silently under her breath and leaned back in the chair again. It annoyed her that V was so paranoid about his computer, but it also wasn't out of his character to be so.

She rapped her fingers against the keys as she pondered yet again what _this_ password could be. After a moment of thought she decided to type in the same one as she did before.

A dead end.

"Bollocks," This was going to be a challenge. She back spaced the words and thought harder for another moment.

 _What could he be hiding from me?_

She typed the same password again and changed the number. Still nothing.

Feeling defeated, she logged out of the laptop and closed it shut, no longer having any patience to snoop. She figured if she wanted any answers she might as well just ask him whenever he returned. _If_ he returned.

Exiting out of his room she found herself back in the corridor, the Gallery still silent from V's absence. She was cold, tired and upset that she could not figure out what he was hiding from her. If that file was a clue to where he was then she feared she would not find him for a while. Accepting her fate, she walked back to her room and crawled into her bed. Her longing for V increasing with every minute gone by.

* * *

The next morning, Evey awoke to her alarm buzzing in her ear. Unfortunately for her she still had other things to take care of that did not involve her personal life. There were no familiar sounds coming from the Wurlitzer or delightful smells from the kitchen. Everything was just as it had been the night before. _Silent_.

She gritted her teeth and pushed back the covers so that she could get up and get ready for the day. Deciding that she would not fret over V any longer she began to get her things ready for a shower and then to prepare herself breakfast.

After she was dressed and fed she gathered her messenger bag that contained her laptop and other work related papers and headed out the door.

Arriving at her building a little after eight in the morning, she approached her office and her colleagues with a smile. Eric Finch was waiting for her by her secretary's door and he returned her smile softly, "Good morning, Evey. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Eric. How are you?"

"Rather well, I was hoping we could discuss some things about our meeting yesterday,"

Evey nodded her head and gestured for him to follow her, "That would be absolutely wonderful. Mind joining me in my office?"

As they entered the room she offered him to sit in one of the chairs across from her desk. She sat her things down and Jane, her secretary, asked if either of them needed anything, "Just some tea, thank you," Evey replied.

"So what do we need to discuss this morning?" she asked.

"It's about Willard Bass. I have his file for you to review," he began, taking out the file from his briefcase. Evey furrowed her brows and took the manilla folder from his hands, "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Eric shook his head, "No, he seems to check out perfectly. It was just a year ago that he was able to establish himself as a proper politician after parliament was destroyed. He has been in several rallies and movements to restore the country and has an impressive following,"

Evey took a brief moment to flip through the papers and she nodded, "I see,"

"However, the only thing we cannot figure out is why he seems to have more of a proper following than the other candidates," he said, watching her carefully.

She shrugged slightly and closed the file, "Are you suggesting that there might be something corrupt about him?"

Eric smiled and folded his hands politely across his lap, "I think we are all still a little paranoid over who should run this country,"

"But not dictate it," she replied firmly. He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand, "We have a lot more to discuss, but I just wanted you to be aware of his statistics and where he has come from,"

"I appreciate that, Eric. There is still much work to be done," she said as she gave him a swift smile. Their tea arrived then and she thanked Jane for her kindness, "So what is next?"

"Here are a list of the other candidates and their records as we know them. We need to schedule a time for tea and then we should be ready to press forward and help them broadcast their speeches to the people," he replied.

"Right, let's work on that for a bit,"

For the rest of the day, Evey was able to make head way with learning more about the fifteen other candidates who were running for the election. In the back of her mind she wondered why Eric was so interested in Willard Bass's campaign and why he felt as though he was not genuine. She realized that V was also hesitant to give the man a chance when he did not even know who he was. Granted, she never knew what V was able to find out on his own with his extensive capabilities of doing research. She wondered then if he would be able to discuss with her anything about Willard Bass.

By the time it was nearing 5 o'clock that evening, Evey started to pack her things and leave for the day. As she got her coat on and her scarf over her neck, she absentmindedly touched her abdomen. A pang of guilt overcame her then as she reflected on her discoveries the night before. She wondered if V was all right and she hoped he was at home. She sighed deeply and started for the door and ran into Eric in the process of doing so, "Oh, Evey, do you need a ride home? I don't mind taking you to the nearest stop," he said, knowing that she was living with V.

"That would be great! I was freezing yesterday when I was walking home, thank you,"

Once they arrived at his car, Eric opened the passenger side door for her and relieved her of her bag. She muttered a 'thank you' for his kindness and watched as he sat in the driver's side. A few moments later and they were on the road driving in silence until she spoke.

"Eric...there is something I need to tell you, but you cannot speak of this to anyone," she said gently. He glanced at her from the side and nodded, "Go on?"

She sighed gently and narrowed her eyes, not wanting to look at him once she spoke, "I'm pregnant,"

He gasped and gave her a bewildered look, "Are you serious?"

"Yes,"

"Evey...I'm happy for you. How did V take the news?"

She placed her hand on the side of her face and shook her head, "Not very well. When I told him he left immediately and I don't know where he is,"

Eric sighed, clearly irritated, "Christ, that bastard. Do you not have any way of contacting him?"

"No, I do not. He refuses own a cell phone and I'm afraid it will take him some time to accept the news,"

This clearly wasn't a good enough answer for Eric as he shook his head, "He needs to take responsibility and take care of you. He should know better than to leave you like that,"

"He knows I can handle being on my own for a while. I'm just sad that he is having to go through this by himself. I want to speak to him about it, but I know he needs some time," she said with a sigh.

"You can't excuse him of his behaviors like that for much longer, Evey. He has changed since his vendetta. Now that he is no longer considered to be an " _idea_ " he needs to accept the role of becoming a " _man_ " and _men_ do not run away from their problems,"

Evey knew he was right, but she also was patient in understanding V's point of view. She had a long time to figure him out and to understand his quirks and emotions ever since she had met him. She knew Eric would never understand the true torment that V suffered on a daily basis, but she kept her opinions to herself. She knew that despite her longing for her beloved she would wait until he would come back, no matter how long it took and she would allow herself to be more angry with him after she knew he was safe.

"I know, Eric. He knows. In the mean time I just need to concentrate on the election and I will focus on the rest later,"

"I wish you wouldn't work so hard. You need to focus on your health. Don't harm yourself because of _him_ ," he responded quietly, keeping his hands firmly on the wheel.

Evey smiled softly and reached over to place her hand on top of his. She was entirely grateful for how wonderful and protective he was of her, but they both knew she would always put their country above her own needs.

"I appreciate your friendship, Eric, more than you will ever know. Don't worry about me and I promise I will let you know if anything goes wrong or if I need your help," she said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

A lump started to form in the back of Eric's throat the moment Evey's hand touched his own. He would never admit his love for her, but he was grateful for any sort of her affection, even if it was not romantic. Parking the car on a street near by the Shadow Gallery, he gave her a small smile and tilted his head downwards, "You know I would do anything for you,"

"I know," she whispered. At that she gave his hand another squeeze and made her leave from the car. She waved at him as she walked briskly down the street, a feeling of ease taking over her tired muscles. She knew Eric wasn't happy with her choice and that he was resentful of V, but it did not matter in that moment and she needed to put the two of them out of her mind for a while. No knight in shining armor, just a Princess with a duty.

* * *

V's love was the only ray of hope that saved Evey from cynicism. There had been too many times in their past where he had disappeared for selfish reasons. She felt tired of waiting on him, purely miffed at his willingness to leave her for so many days alone. The silence was driving her mad and her heart was aching over his whereabouts. She had intense fear for his safety and it pained her that he was determined to keep her at arm's length for so long.

It had been three days since she had last seen him and her nerves increased with every passing moment. Work was the only thing keeping her sane as she tried to keep herself distracted. When she wasn't feeling ill she read and spent time on work proposals and papers. It was her sole motivation to not give up and to reassure herself of her independence. Regardless of how depressed she was she would not let England suffer over her troubles.

It was nearing two in the morning and Evey felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. She decided that she would retire for the night and pick up where she left off in the morning with her work. Knowing that she would be of little use to her council if she did not rest, she found comfort in her bed amongst her books and papers and the lingering scent of V nestled in her blankets.

Once she fell victim to sleep, catastrophic dreams invaded her subconscious. Feelings of anxiousness overpowered her senses and she struggled to keep her asthma at bay. A dark figure was looming in the corner of a desolate room and it stood motionless. She tried to see who it was, but a bright light blinded her perception of what she could only assume was a male presence. The figure took a step forward, but her only way of knowing that he had moved was the sound of a heavy boot coming towards her. She called out to him, but he remained silent, approaching her in a steady pace. Once the figure had grown closer, a tight feeling grasped around her neck. She choked in response and reached to remove whatever was strangling her, but the glint of a sharp blade stopped her once it came into focus and she muffled a scream when she realized he was coming to kill her baby.

Awaking in absolute panic, Evey gasped for air and she shot up quickly in her place on the bed. Fresh tears were streaming down her cheeks as she began to sob uncontrollably. She pushed the covers away to check her abdomen and once she felt her soft round bump she began to calm down. However, her moment of tranquility faltered the moment she felt something beside her. She snapped her head to the side when she realized she was not alone. In her state of panic she did not notice the dark figure that lay beside her and she jerked herself out of the bed before it could even touch her.

She yelped and yanked the chain on her bedside lamp to reveal a startled V who jolted from the bed the minute Evey turned on the light. When she caught her breathing she let out a whimpering cry of relief and ran to throw her arms around his neck, "V!"

"Evey! I'm so sorry to have disturbed you, are you all right?" he asked, his voice clearly panic stricken.

She took a moment to soak up his embrace and she buried her head tightly into his masculine chest. His arms encircled her protectively and he made sure to grasp her gently so that he would not harm her. When she released him, her soft features twisted into a fierce glare and she whacked his chest roughly, "How dare you! Where have you been? Why did you leave for so long without even saying a word?"

V immediately lowered his head, clearly ashamed of himself for making her so upset. Without her knowing he watched her as she began to furiously pace the room, shaking her head and gripping her fists together as she continued, "I was so worried about you! Do you realize if anything were to happen to you I would have no way of finding out?" she asked, her anger growing.

"Yes, I was aware of that," he said simply as he clasped his hands together behind his back. This seemed to anger Evey even more and she fumed, "I was so worried about you, V. I did my best to remain calm, but you were gone for so long I started to become frightened,"

"I know and I apologize for my absence. I want you to know that I did not depart our sanctuary for any other reason other than to find help for you,"

She stopped pacing then and stood squarely in front of him, "To find... _help_?"

It was V's turn to begin pacing the room as he sighed begrudgingly, his voice lowering as he started to speak, "Yes...the moment you told me you were with child I immediately began to make contact with a number of physicians I had met after I had escaped Lark Hill and I needed to ensure your safety,"

Confusion crossed her features suddenly and that familiar pang of guilt began to erupt her system, "You were worried about me? Why?"

Bringing a hand to his mask he shook his head, his posture slumped in sadness, "When I was a test subject at the Resettlement Camp I was injected with several poisons and toxins as a way of determining if I could survive or not. My blood contains the St. Mary's virus, as you know, and well...I have no idea what else I could be infected with that could be a threat to you and our baby,"

Fear gripped at her heart and the guilt she had felt earlier turned into immediate distress. Everything began to make sense then and before she could even react V approached her in one swift stride to bring her into his arms. He placed a gentle hand on her small abdomen as his left arm held her from behind, "Evey, I feel awful for not being honest with you from the start. I was just so...frightened...you must believe me. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you because of me,"

She placed her small hand on top of his, the warmth of his hand underneath his leather gloves bringing her comfort instantly, "No, V, please don't apologize. I'm sorry for not understanding your motives at first. I should have been more patient with you. I knew you would return eventually,"

V was smiling beneath the mask and he chuckled a bit, bringing her closer to his chest so he could rest his chin upon her head. She fit perfectly in his arms and it never ceased to amaze him how much she felt like home, "Let this sad int'rim like the ocean be which parts the shore, where two contracted new come daily to the banks, that when they see return of love, more blest may be the view; Else call it winter, which being full of care, makes summer's welcome, thrice more wished, more rare,"

"Do you think Shakespeare had us in mind when he wrote that sonnet?" she asked as she looked up at him. He gave her a small nod and whispered, "Yes, I believe he did."

After several moments of them enjoying each other's embrace after being apart for days, they finally decided to move back into her bed. Evey turned the light off and she immediately flocked to V's side so that she could rest her head on his chest. He welcomed her with open arms and she noticed he had abandoned his vest, gloves and boots so that he could cuddle with her more comfortably.

"I need to tell you something," she said as she wrapped her arm around his waist. He replied with a soft "hmm" and began to relax in his position on the bed with her, "When you left that night I wasn't asleep...I didn't want you to know though,"

He chuckled softly and shrugged, "I guess you've had a bit of practice in learning how to fool others,"

"Well, that wasn't the only thing. I went into your room and I found your computer. I was able to get into the main screen and I noticed you had a folder titled _Physicians_ ," she continued, feeling a bit wary with how he would respond.

"Ahh, so you were able to remember what my password was, very interesting," He didn't seem at all surprised that she was able to hack into his computer and she felt slightly annoyed by that.

"I wasn't able to get into the folder though, but I guess everything you told me answers a lot of questions I've been having over the last few days," she said quietly.

V sighed deeply and very gently tilted her chin to look up at him. His rough skin was colliding with hers and Evey did her best to soak up what she could of having him be so open with her.

"I told you that I will not keep any secrets from you anymore...even if it does take me several days to do so. I didn't have a choice though, I needed to find someone to help us immediately even if it meant leaving you in the dark for a few days," he said sincerely.

Evey nodded and nuzzled her face into his palm which he gladly took to caress, "I know, but was it worth it? Were you able to find anyone?"

She could see him nodding his head gently as he replied, "I did. We will go to him over the weekend. He needs to check you out and make note of your progress. A lot of tests will be performed, but I know as long as you and our baby are safe we will be able to continue on as normally as possible,"

"Who is this physician anyway?" She felt like she deserved a say in who her doctor would be over the next few months of her pregnancy.

"A man named Jonathan Crowe, he has been a trusted acquaintance since my early days of rejoining society," He slid his hand from her cheek back down to wrap around her waist then and she accepted his gesture by cuddling closer into his chest, "You mean to tell me that you actually have _friends_?"

V scoffed at her remark and peered down at her playfully, "I said he was an _acquaintance_. He mainly supplied me with books, papers and medical supplies to help me become self sufficient if and when I found myself in danger before the 5th," he stated matter of factly.

Evey made a face and smiled, "I suppose that's how you knew how to heal yourself after the destruction of parliament. That's why you were able to survive,"

"Precisely," he whispered, "Jonathan is a good man, I am convinced he will be favorable in your opinion,"

"Oh dear, I very much hope that you are right about this, V. I only want the best for our little one," The idea of being able to say, "our little one" ignited a radiant flame within Evey's heart and she knew V felt the same way.

"I do as well, my love," he whispered.

A soft giggle erupted from Evey's lips as she tilted her head up to place a small kiss on Guy Fawkes' lips. She never knew a happiness before her relationship with V and those feelings of guilt and sadness were immediately replaced with the joyful celebration just as she had originally imagined.

* * *

The next morning, Evey did not wake to the sound of the Wurlitzer or the smells of breakfast being prepared by her beloved. Instead, she woke to find him right beside her and he was sound asleep. He lay on his back with one arm above his head and the other at his side. She was facing him, gazing lovingly at his resting form. She knew he was exhausted from his journey and it pleased her that he was able to sleep so well with her there beside him. Knowing it had been a while since he had gotten a good night's rest, she decided to let him sleep and surprise him by making them both a wonderful breakfast.

Quickly and quietly making her leave from the bed she was able to escape without disturbing him. It was a very proud moment for her to be able to sneak around without him even noticing and she prided herself on being able to pick up on his skills.

She noted the time and decided that she would come into work a little later than usual so that she could prepare breakfast for V without having to feel rushed. If she needed to stay at work a little later than usual she would be comfortable in doing so, especially since she knew she would be spending her entire weekend with V.

Sending Eric a quick text on her phone she immediately began to work on what she would prepare for V. Over the past two years Evey was able to pick up a few tricks in the kitchen thanks to his teaching and she decided that she would prepare them a traditional full English breakfast which consisted of bacon, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, fried toast with real butter, sausages and baked beans. In a sense she felt crazy for being so optimistic about this challenge, but she also wanted to return V's kindness and to return it to him.

As she started to prepare the food she began to reflect on the nightmare she had just before she was reunited with V. It was a strange dream and it felt incredibly real, too real for comfort. A slight chill ran down her spine as she remembered the way she felt when she saw the man coming after her with a knife that was similar V's. The presence she sensed was incredibly evil and full of hatred and it reminded her of when V had confined her in the cell before her transformation.

It had been a long while since she had thought about her time spent in the cell as V's prisoner. It was very curious to her that she made that connection with her dream. Was this something she had already experienced and forgot about it? Why did they seem to be the same?

Without even noticing at first, V had snuck up behind her she gasped when she felt a familiar muscular arm snake around her waist, "Oh, you scared me!" she hissed.

He chuckled softly and wrapped his other arm around her, "I believe you still have much to learn from me, my dear. My successor cannot be startled so easily,"

"Very well then, I'll do better. Did you get enough rest?" she asked as she turned around to embrace him.

V gave her a gentle squeeze and nodded, "Yes, I did, thank you for asking. What's all this? Are you making me breakfast?"

She grinned sheepishly and shrugged, "I am, I hope you're proud. I'm making you a traditional English breakfast!"

"A traditional English breakfast? I am proud," he replied, "Do you need any assistance?"

Shaking her head ferociously she pointed in the direction of the table, "Nope! I want to cook for you without any help. I figured it was about time I showed off my cooking skills," She placed a small kiss on the tip of Guy Fawkes' chin and she smiled warmly when he rested his forehead on top of hers before releasing her.

As she went back to cooking, V settled into a chair at the table and made himself comfortable. He was quite amused at her willingness to cook and he was eager to try her food. He recalled a time when he had taught her how to make this exact meal over a year ago and despite her valiant effort she did not succeed well. He figured after a time of practice she was trustworthy enough to prepare a meal for the two of them.

He watched her carefully as she grabbed the necessary supplies and a feeling of determination overcame him then as he studied her condition. Although she was not showing very much he could tell there was something different about her. She was wearing a thin cotton shirt over a pair of leggings and her curves seemed to cling to the fabric elegantly. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever met and it truly astounded him that she was _his_.

Her curls had grown to reach just past her ears and they framed her face perfectly. There was a certain glow about her that stirred a feeling of nervousness inside of him and that was when he was reminded of their conversation from last night. He vividly remembered the way she had screamed when she woke from her nightmare and he felt inclined to ask her about it.

"Evey, may I ask you something?" a hint of concern trailing in his voice.

She glanced at him over her shoulder and nodded, "Of course, what is it?"

"Did you have a nightmare last night?"

She was wondering when he would ask her that question and she sighed softly, her hands pausing their task. Glancing over her shoulder she picked up where she left off with their meal, "I did...it certainly was a fright. I was thinking about it earlier before you snuck up on me,"

"I figured so. Do you mind me asking what it was about?" he asked.

She hesitated a moment and turned around to face him, "No, I don't mind...it was just unusual and it seemed so real I felt as though I've lived it before. I was in a dark room with a light shining brightly on my face. There was a man in the corner, a dark presence, and he was walking towards me with heavy boots. I tried to call out to him, but he ignored me and then he produced a knife that looked like one of yours...I knew he was coming to kill me and he was aiming for my stomach,"

V was watching her steadily and he noted the way she looked down at her condition and then back up at him. As brave as she was there was a hint of fear in her eyes and it devastated him, "Evey...I'm sorry," he said softly.

She gave him a half smile and turned around to go back to her business, "Oh it's no matter at all really, it was just a dream and nothing more. I'm sure it was just stress related,"

"Did you think it was me?" he asked, keeping very still.

Evey shrugged, her demeanor remaining the same as she responded, "No, I don't think so. It was just a coincidence with the room, mysterious man and the knife,"

V paused a moment before he replied and she could tell that he was feeling remorse. She wished he hadn't brought up the dream, but she also knew that he was concerned for her wellbeing and she felt grateful that he cared so much.

"I promise you that even though I did some unforgivable things to you when you were captured that was not one of them," he admitted with utter grievance. He didn't need to defend himself from what had happened in the past and she smiled to herself when she noted that he felt guilty, "You realize I don't hold you against anything that happened during that time, right?" she asked.

"Yes, I do," he murmured.

"It was just a dream, V, it truly is all right. If anything I might just be experiencing something weird with the pregnancy. I'll have a look later when I get a chance to do some research," she said lightly.

He beamed a little to himself at her response, almost shocked that she had responded so coolly. Granted he wasn't sure what he expected, he knew she was a changed woman and could now be characterized as being strong, confident, and bold, but he didn't give her enough credit sometimes. She was made in his likeness and was the greatest love that he would ever know. Her braveness inspired him and he was honored to be her partner in this world. Perhaps there was a chance that she would be all right, that her willingness to push through her problems would make her stronger.

"Are you concerned of what I told you last night?" he asked, testing her.

A small laugh erupted her features and she shook her head, her honey-blonde curls dancing on her cheeks, "I am not. The moment you told me where you had been and what you had discovered assured me that I would be in good hands. Whatever we will face in our future cannot be compared to what we have suffered in our past,"

He felt exhilaration from her response and he grinned, standing from his seat and approaching her in one stride. He pulled her from the stove and lifted her so that she would be eye level with him, "I love you, Evey Hammond and I will protect you with my life,"

"And I love _you_ ," she whispered.

Evey was right, no matter what seemed to challenge them in their past could not compare to any such fear in their future. Their journey to become parents would be a long road and most certainly a test on their patience, but they both knew that once they were joined in one nothing could stop them.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello! It has been a WEEK since I have last updated and I apologize for the wait! I just started back to school so my updates may become a little less frequent, but I promise I haven't lost interest in writing at all! I'm only getting started! I hope this chapter was a bit more enjoyable and I hope to really start adding the drama soon! This was very fun to write so I hope you all like it! As always leave me a review to let me know how I am doing and if I need to fix any mistakes :) Happy Monday! ~**


	4. Chapter 4

Several hours after their breakfast reunion, Evey had left for work for the afternoon and V was left alone to abide by some work of his own. Due to their meeting with Jonathan Crowe the next day, V wanted to make sure he dressed appropriately to chauffeur his beloved without gaining any hideous looks from any by standers. Despite how favorable his Guy Fawkes adornments were to the public he sincerely doubted most country folk did. In any case the less attention that was drawn to him or Evey the better.

As V sat down to gaze at his appearance in the vanity, he carefully traced with his eyes the scars and burns that resided on his cheeks. A feeling of sadness overcame him then as he processed each blemish and mark that scarred his flesh. He wondered then if he could remember what he looked like before he was taken into the resettlement camps. If only he could piece that together it could then possibly bring him comfort. Alas, he could not and he knew it would take him ages to reveal his true self to Evey. He could only pray that she would be satisfied with what he could give her at that moment in time.

The new costume he planned to portray was massively out of his comfort zone. Eying the suit, wig, prosthetics and accessories from his place at the mirror sent a shiver down his spine as he tried to imagine what Evey could possibly think. Sure he had adorned himself in costumes that were more ridiculous than this, but maybe that's what bothered him so much about this one in particular. This new persona had to be _normal_ and he wasn't quite sure he had the confidence to be so. Evey certainly had no idea what he was planning so it wasn't as if she had asked him to do this for her. In fact, he wasn't so sure she had even thought about what the future would bring and how she would explain her condition to the public. He wanted to plan ahead and to figure out a way to help her without having to expose himself completely. It nerved him then to think that maybe she had already spoken of their secret to someone and he knew if she told anyone it would be Eric Finch. Despite how great of a friend he was to Evey, V knew that Eric did not trust him.

A feeling of hesitation hit like a train in his stomach and he gulped as he tried to push the hissing demons out of his mind. They were trying so very hard to talk him out of wearing the silly costume and to forget about the entire thing. He wanted so desperately to hide away and to not concern himself in the matter, but he also knew better than that. If Evey decided to go about her business and not speak of her pregnancy, he wasn't sure how it would be received by her people. He couldn't possibly let her ruin her reputation over something so trivial. She needed to keep the respect and trust of England without any backlash so that they could move forward.

He stood abruptly then and the demons fled as soon as they felt him place a hand on one of his knives. He would not be defeated by them. Not this time.

Striding over to where he kept the suit, he began to strip away his uniform of darkness. It felt odd putting on clothing that did not particularly interest him creatively. He rather enjoyed how his poet shirts and doublets made him feel powerful. Even shining his boots to perfection every morning was a sign of eminence. He pondered whether or not this business suit would give him that same feeling of authority.

Sighing, he carefully laid out his usual outfit on the bed and began to put the dress shirt and pants on.

 _What are you so afraid of, old man?_

To be completely honest he wasn't very sure. He could guess it was his nerves toying with him for that all he wanted to do was to impress Evey. He could only hope that she approved of his new look and would accept him for who he was, yet hadn't she already done that?

He shook the negative thoughts from his head and continued to dress until he was finished. Looking at his reflection in the full length mirror he possessed he carefully observed himself for anything that may have been out of place. When he was satisfied he turned back to his vanity and began to put on the rigorous prosthetics and make up that would hide his true self. He hoped that the supplies he had would be able to help him convince others that he was not forging any sort of look. It would take him hours to achieve what he imagined.

It was nearing 6 o'clock that evening and V knew that Evey would be walking in the door at any second. He kept a close eye on the security cameras that were hooked up around the secret entrance of the Shadow Gallery as well as the corridor and the door that led into their home. He didn't want her to sneak up on him and he was mindful of how much time he was putting in to his new face.

Just as he predicted, he noticed something move out of the corner of his eye and sure enough his tiny yet self assured _girlfriend_ was slinking through the corridors. A small smile crept to his cheeks then as he watched her glide through the narrow tunnels as if she had done it her entire life. When she made it to the door, he could hear it open and she was humming a delightful tune to herself.

"V? Are you home?" she called out sweetly as she took her coat and scarf off.

Putting a few finishing touches on his look, he took a deep breath and nodded to himself before standing and pushing in his chair.

He slowly moved to the door and placed his hand on the thick wood. He could still hear her humming and walking around the gallery without any concern. Evey knew he liked to hide from her sometimes out of reluctance so she did not pressure him to come out.

The door creaked open and he stepped out cautiously before making his way down the dimly lit hallway. As he got closer to the gallery he could hear her rustling in the kitchen, perhaps trying to find herself a snack before dinner. He peaked out into the room and he blushed when he saw the back of her. She was wearing a pale pink dress with black ballet flats and her hair was in loose curls that touched just at her shoulders. She looked so lovely and he suddenly became embarrassed with himself. He wanted so desperately to impress her, but he felt so idiotic in this costume.

Evey could sense his presence even though she pretended that she did not. She wondered why he was feeling so apprehensive, but she didn't dare put any pressure on him. Instead of calling out his name again, she grabbed a bag of crisps and a drink of water and sat down at the table to play on her phone.

Watching her carefully, he let out a shaky breath and began to walk into the room once he had the nerve. Her back was still to him at the table and she did not even flinch when she heard his shoes click against the stone floor.

"Hello Evey," he said coyly, his hands tightly clasped behind his back.

Turning around to face him slowly, a slight hint of surprise hit her as she observed V's new appearance. At first she was confused and even mystified at seeing him without Guy Fawkes or his other usual embellishments.

"V…oh my goodness! You look…,"

"Abhorrent?"

"Heavens, no! I was going to say _compelling_ , actually…"

"You're not serious."

"But I am," she said as she stood, her face glowing with excitement.

Reaching to grab his hands, he warily gave them to her as she gave them a tight squeeze. He seemed to be in pain as she observed every detail that he had put in to the costume. Refusing to look at her, he began to shy away until she lightly placed a hand on his cheek.

"V, your eyes…they're so blue," she whispered, amazement clearly in her voice.

"They're not contacts," he responded.

Her stomach flip flopped then as she smiled earnestly at him.

"They're beautiful."

"Thank you," he murmured.

"V, if you're worried about what I think of this new persona, you don't have to be nervous. I think it's rather _sexy_ ," she said as her hand fell from his cheek to his chest.

V faintly scoffed and looked away again, heat immediately flooding to his cheeks. He was grateful she still wouldn't be able to tell with all of the prosthetics and make up he wore.

"But this isn't who I really _am_ , I feel absolutely ridiculous," he muttered, tempted to run away then as he began eying the door.

Evey cocked her head to the side in a concerned manner and she shook her head, "Well of course this isn't _you,_ but ridiculous is the last word that I would describe you as."

"I wanted to develop a new persona so that when the time comes and your people need a reason as to why you're with child…I will be the answer," he said quietly.

Giving him a quizzical look, she frowned slightly, "You would risk exposure…for me?"

"Of course," he replied simply.

"V…are you positive that it is a good idea? I'm sure we could come up with another reason." She was absolutely astonished that he was willing to go so far after everything that they had been through over the past year and a half.

"There are no other reasons and you will lose the trust of your people if you do not provide them answers, even if it is a part of your personal life. You are their Princess now and you have created a bond with them that no other authoritative figure in this country has had at any point in time. It will always be your life before mine, Evey."

Feeling wretched, Evey didn't really know how to respond. She knew that V had a point and that she should be honest with her people, but on the other hand she wondered how much of her personal life should be shared with the public. She didn't exactly care whether or not her people judged her for her lifestyle, but then again maybe that would only enhance their appreciation for her if she were to start bringing V to public events.

"If we do this I think we should include Mr. Finch," she said.

V hesitated a moment when she spoke of Mr. Finch, but nodded his head in agreement, "Yes, he should know about what we are planning. Does he know?"

"Yes, I told him yesterday,"

"And his reaction?"

Evey sighed, recalling the conversation she had with Eric the day before felt like an eternity ago.

"He was upset that you had left me."

She noticed V clinch his fists ever so slightly and he nodded in response.

"I deserve that. I hope he changes his mind about me soon," he said bitterly.

Evey smiled mischievously at him and wrapped her small arms around his torso. She was grateful for their height difference then as he returned her embrace and placed his chin on the top of her head. She breathed in his natural scent and sighed deeply, feeling his comfort almost immediately.

"He will, he cares about me and therefore cares about you too. In any case he just needs to get to know you a little better and hopefully us bringing him into the situation will help him do so,"

V shrugged his heavy shoulders in response, "Perhaps you are right, my dear. If anything he will despise me less, or at least that is what I plan to achieve."

She giggled and raised her head to look up at him, "You were his greatest enemy at one point in time."

"I still am."

* * *

The next day, Evey awoke to the sound of her alarm buzzing in her ear. She groaned miserably as she attempted to press the 'snooze' button until the awful sound was silenced.

She noticed V was not laying beside her and she could only figure he must have gotten up ages ago. It was nearing 7 o'clock in the morning and she pouted when she realized they would need to be leaving soon to see Jonathan Crowe at his country home later that morning.

"This is ghastly," she muttered to herself as she tried to get comfortable again.

Not even ten minutes later V knocked quietly on her door before entering with a tray of her favorite breakfast foods and coffee. She moaned and attempted to bury herself further under the covers as he lay the tray down beside her on the bed. She heard him walk over to the other side of her to turn the light on and he sat gingerly beside her. His arm draped around her small waist and he tugged the covers just below her eyes. Giving her a sly smile, he whispered, "Good morning."

"I don't know if it really is morning though. I cannot see the sun; it mustn't be morning."

"Don't be silly, you have an iPhone. I doubt the clock is incorrect," he replied.

Evey whimpered as V placed a small kiss on her exposed forehead, wishing then that she could slap him away without consequence.

"Come now, I made your favorites. I promise when we return this evening you can slap me all you want," he said as he watched her sit up with absolute irritation.

"I _will_ gladly slap you for forcing me to be awake at such an hour on a Saturday."

V smiled impishly at her and shrugged, "I see it more as a flirtatious game than a brutal punishment."

He removed himself from her bedside and skillfully dodged a small pillow that she attempted to throw at him for being so malicious. Grinning wickedly at her, he closed the door behind him and left her to steam.

"Men" she growled.

* * *

After breakfast she managed to find her way into the bathroom to get ready for the morning. She picked out a simple light blue dress to match a mustard colored sweater and black flats for the occasion and prayed it would be appropriate for the doctor visit. She had never really been to see a doctor before so she had no idea what she should expect. V was waiting for her in the hallway and she noticed he was wearing a different colored suit than yesterday. It was a tweed texture and it hugged his muscular frame in all the right places. Evey found herself gazing and admiring how handsome he looked and she blushed when he turned and caught her eye.

"What are you staring at?" he questioned, mild concern in his tone.

"Oh…nothing…I really like this new suit. Where did you get it?"

"Exactly how I get all of my other goods," he responded honestly.

She smirked at him and fetched her coat on the rack behind him, "Naturally. Are we ready to go then?"

"I am if you are."

As they exited the Gallery, V led her down another path opposite from the one they usually went down to get onto the streets.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

V was walking briskly ahead of her with his hands in his pockets. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled at her, "To the car."

Giving him a bewildered look she realized then that before this she didn't know V could drive.

"Are you serious? I didn't know you owned a car."

"I own a lot of things that you probably are not aware of."

She bit her bottom lip with hesitancy at his response and froze when she realized they had entered a massive garage just below the city and in the center was a red sports car. She watched in utter awe as he approached the passenger side and opened the door for her.

"Do you like it? It's a 1963 Porsche 356B Karmann Coupe."

"I…do like it…and you know how to drive this thing?"

"Yes, but it has been a while. I never really had a use for it until now."

Giving him an odd look, she came nearer to the car and sat down in the seat. V closed the door swiftly behind her and wound around to the driver's side.

"You never told me you could drive either," she said, her tone suspicious.

"I never told you a lot of things, my dear."

Pressing her lips together firmly, she cocked an eyebrow up at him and shook her head, "You're quite the renaissance man."

V smiled sheepishly and revved the car to life, automatically putting it into drive. He reached up above him to press a small button on a remote and the wall (or what Evey _thought_ was a wall) began to creek open. Another long and dark tunnel lay before them and she could only assume it would lead to the streets above. He paused a moment to reach for a pair of brown leather driving gloves and then his stylish Rayban sunglasses that sat in the console between them as he waited for the door to completely open.

"It pleases me to hear you say that. I pride myself on knowing many skills."

"I know you do," she said quietly.

* * *

Evey was truly astounded by the greenery that surrounded them on either side of the vehicle. V was speeding rather casually down a windy country road and it gave her butterflies every time he would hit a small bump or hill. They were heading for Kent, a place she had never heard of before until she became Princess just over a year ago. She grinned when she saw herds of sheep and cattle in the distance of a field and she was eager to force V to stop just so she could pet one.

"V, this is marvelous! I cannot believe I have never been to the country before now."

"I think you will rather enjoy Jonathan's cottage then. Massive fields of green on either side and a small garden in the back. I hope it won't cause you to miss city life too much."

"I think I could do without the city if I'm being honest, especially now that I've seen how beautiful it is out here!" She rolled down her window then and grinned when the wind hit her face. It had been so long since she had been in a car and she loved how exhilarating it felt to have the wind brush through her curls.

She could hear V chuckling behind her, admiring her for her childlike qualities. They were getting a bit closer to Jonathan's house then and he started to slow down once it was in sight. As he pulled into the gravel drive way, he came to a halt just a few feet away from the house. Evey gazed at the place in amazement and opened her door slowly.

As V helped her out of the car they walked towards the house together in silence, mainly because Evey was so distracted with fascination over how quaint the cottage was. She started to have a romantic day dream of what life would be like to live in a place like this. She wished so badly that they could have a farm of their own and a yard that stretched for miles for their little one could play freely.

V was watching her with attentiveness and he wondered what she was thinking. He had an aching suspicion that she was contemplating what life would be like to live in a place like this and he had to do everything in his power to not let his heart sink. He cursed himself for not being the man that she deserved and able to live a normal life without the repercussions of his identity. He could only pray that she would not resent him for this.

Shaking the negative thoughts from his head, they made it to the front steps of Jonathan's home and V knocked on the door. Waiting patiently for someone to answer, V gave Evey a sideways glance. Her eyes were focused on the peculiar looking doorknob that faced her and he could tell she was nervous.

Suddenly the door opened and an older gentleman of around 60 years of age answered the call. He smiled gently at them and extended his hand to V, "It's been many years, my friend."

V returned his gesture and smiled, "It has."

"Please, come in. We can get you both settled in the back."

Evey suddenly felt anxious as V gestured for her to walk ahead of him into the rather small home of Jonathan Crowe. As the man sped away to prepare for their visit, Evey looked back at V with a hint of fear in her eyes.

"I've never seen a doctor before so I'm not very sure…but don't they usually have their practice outside of their home?"

V nodded his head, "Yes, but because of Chancellor Sutler's strict policies he had to make due with what he could. He was under the suspicion for many years of helping those who Sutler did not deem worthy of medical care. They eventually striped him of his practice in London and he was forced to open a secret clinic in his home. I actually helped him construct it and I can assure you it is very safe."

Evey pursed her lips together carefully and nodded, trying to accept that he was probably right and that she did not have anything to worry about. They sat outside of a large oak door and awaited patiently until she was called into the room. A nurse appeared at the doorway and she smiled at Evey, "Will you follow me?"

Looking back at V, he gave her a firm tilt of his head and tried to smile at her encouragingly, "I will be in once you've changed," he promised.

She stood up and followed the nurse into the rather small room. The nurse handed her a cotton hospital gown and instructed her to take her clothes off so that Dr. Crowe could examine her carefully. As she did so she felt rather exposed and nervous as she sat atop the examination table, hoping that V would come join her soon.

Once she had gotten settled, Jonathan knocked politely on the door and greeted her with enthusiasm.

"Hello Miss. Hammond! My name is Jonathan Crowe. I'm very pleased to meet you. I will just be doing a few basic things first such as checking your blood pressure, heart, lungs and then we will do some tests on your urine and blood. I can assure you that you are in the best of care and after we conduct these tests V can come sit with you."

She smiled softly and nodded her head, trying to fight any tears that threatened to spill from her light brown eyes, "That sounds good to me, thank you for helping us."

"The pleasure is all mine and if you have any questions during the examination, please let me know. I understand that this is your first time seeing a physician and I do not wish for you to be frightened."

Nodding her head, she smiled again and muttered a 'thank you' just as Jonathan requested for the nurse to help him begin setting up.

* * *

Once she was left in peace, Jonathan fulfilled his promise of allowing V to come visit her after her tests were completed. He stepped into the room with a smile on his face and approached her in one swift motion, "How are you feeling?" he asked as he reached to grab her hand.

Evey smiled up at him and then gestured to the bandage on her arm, "I didn't like having my blood drawn, but other than that it was fine."

"I'm glad you are alright and I knew you could handle it."

"It got less frightening as he talked me through it and then I remembered I've been through worse," she joked half heartedly.

V's heart skipped a beat when she made the comment and he gave her a half smile. Bringing her hand to his lips he brushed a soft kiss against her knuckles before speaking, "You're very strong minded, Evey. I should never doubt you."

"Me either, I'm not so sure why I did."

They chatted for a few more minutes before Jonathan knocked politely on the door with the nurse trailing behind him. He sat down in his swivel stool on the other side of Evey's bed and smiled softly up at them, "Your urine and bloodwork came back normal, Miss. Hammond, and I do not believe you have anything to be concerned about at this stage of your early pregnancy. However, you must be cautious with your eating, sleeping and physical habits over the next several months to ensure your overall health and I will prescribe you some prenatal vitamins to take on a daily basis. I would also advise that you keep living your life as normally as possible."

"So you do not believe the St. Mary's virus has affected her in any way or the fetus?" V questioned as he gave Evey's palm a squeeze.

"No, I do not, but if you notice anything out of the ordinary you must give me a call immediately so that we can remedy the situation."

V immediately relaxed his tense posture the moment it was confirmed out of Jonathan Crowe's mouth. He was so sure that Evey or the child would be afflicted with the consequence of his poisonous blood, but perhaps he was just being too cautious. Evey grinned at the news and patted V's hand for reassurance, "That is wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for helping us."

"Yes, of course. I'm very pleased that you called on me to examine you. Now that the difficult things are over with I wanted to do an ultrasound so that you may see the baby. The nurse will help you get adjusted now."

As Jonathan left the room briefly for the nurse to come and help Evey, she looked up at V and grinned when she realized how exasperated he was, "Don't beat yourself up."

"I shouldn't have left you for so many days for nothing."

"It wasn't for nothing! You were scared and I know you were just protecting me. Trust me, a few days ago I wanted to kill you, but now that I know what it was all for and to have the added bonus of everything being alright we can both agree that it was certainly worth while," she reasoned, her tone hopeful.

V smiled at her and nodded his head, stepping out of the way just as the nurse began to hook up the machine for Jonathan to start the ultra sound. Once she hooked it up, Jonathan returned to the room and handed V a list of helpful instructions and recommendations for what they could do to keep Evey healthy during the next few months.

Sitting beside her, Jonathan spread the gel over Evey's small bump and began using the transducer to find the small fetus. Suddenly, the sound of a rapid heartbeat started to pulsate within the room. Evey's mouth came agape as she watched with utmost curiosity and awe at the screen. V slid his hand into hers as he watched with equal enthusiasm at the new life that resided within her.

"It is very hard to see at this stage, but if you see that small flicker right here that is the heartbeat," Jonathan said as he moved the transducer around her small frame.

Tears began to weld within Evey's eyes as she examined the small and precious life within her. She could hardly believe what she was seeing and was already falling in love with the sound of their baby's heartbeat flooding through the room. V gave her hand a gentle squeeze and he knelt down to plant a kiss on her forehead. This time last year he would have been baffled at the thought of having a child and he knew that his reaction would have been even more melancholy than it was a few days ago, but something about the way his Evey looked when she saw the screen made his heart melt. His new life was taking off faster than he originally planned and he felt as though he could conquer the world with his new found happiness. There couldn't be anything to spoil this special moment between them and he was grateful he was able to find the motivation to get himself off that train that was heading for Parliament over a year ago.

"Is it healthy, doctor?" Evey asked as she watched him move the sonogram over her stomach.

Jonathan looked back up at her and smiled, nodding, "Yes, your baby has a very strong heartbeat. I wouldn't expect any less based on who its parent's are."

This caused a great smile to appear on Evey's face and she looked up at V with a beaming expression. What a happy day this truly was.

"I'll have the nurse print a few images off for you to take home now so I'll leave you to get changed," he said.

V approached Jonathan in a grand gesture before he exited the room and gave him his hand to shake. He thanked him endlessly for seeing them and allowing them to witness their first ultrasound together. He was on cloud nine and Evey couldn't help but notice just how blessed she was to be starting this little family with the love of her life.

When Jonathan and the nurse left the room, V helped Evey grab her clothes and he awaited patiently for her to get dressed. When she was finished she unexpectedly threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him, "Oh, V! I am so happy! This is truly one of the best days of my life! I did not think I could be as happy as I was when you first came back to me, but this certainly is a treat to follow. I love you so much."

V chuckled and gently placed Evey back on to the ground, he was very nervous that she might hurt herself even from giving him a giant hug the way she did.

"And I love you, Evey. I was just thinking about how my life before this was to end to help shape the new world, but now that I am a part of creating a _new_ life for this _new_ world I couldn't be any more satisfied than I am right now. You've changed me and my perspective and I am so very glad of it."

Gingerly putting her hands on his chest, Evey tilted her head up to place a small kiss on his lips. The electric shock that passed through them was enough to make V gasp. She always managed to impact him in a way that created absolute elation within his bones, "I am as well, my love. I am so blessed to share this life with you."

* * *

A few blissful months later, Evey was nearly waddling around the Shadow Gallery with a few paint chips in her hands. She was inspecting the room that V had cleared out for her to decorate as the nursery for their new little one. They did not know what the gender of their baby would be yet, but they wanted to begin adding pieces to the room before the birth. Evey was ecstatic for keeping the sex of their baby a secret, but she knew V was anxious. She kept reminding him that he needed to be patient and that no matter what the gender was they would be pleased. Of course he agreed with her, but he couldn't help but be a little eager to know what they were having.

"So have you decided on what colors you want?" V asked as he watched her enter the room.

She smiled up at him, the Guy Fawkes mask beaming at the sight of her. "I have narrowed it down to these very traditional colors," she said as she showed him the pale yellow, green and teal.

"Isn't teal more boyish?"

"Heavens, no. I could most certainly use this as a background palate for a girl's room."

"Clearly my idea of gender neutral has been skewed," he retorted.

Making a face at him she started to walk around the room carefully as she observed each of the fine details it contained. V was kind enough to put actual walls in the room that covered the stone beneath so that she could add as much color and excitement as it so pleased her to do for their little one.

"You did a very good job, by the way. I'm surprised you were able to do this by yourself," she remarked as she gave him a smile.

V clasped his hands behind his back and wandered the room with her slowly, "Thank you. I most certainly had you in mind for every detail and it was an interesting challenge to accomplish."

"I know, you definitely kept me up a few of those nights you were building."

He was grinning at her from behind the mask recalling exactly what she was speaking of. He had faced an interesting puzzle before him when trying to assemble some of the walls without any proper assistance. He may could admit he said a few cuss words when doing so.

"Well I suppose it was necessary. When is Mr. Finch gracing us with his presence?"

"Soon actually, I am supposed to meet him on the corner in a few minutes. Are you almost finished with dinner?" she questioned, salivating at the thought of what V could have made for her this time. He was doing such a wonderful job of keeping her fed these days and she hoped he would continue to do so after the baby was born.

"Yes, it is ready now actually. I've made some very delicious lasagna tonight with homemade noodles and pasta sauce."

"Oh I am terribly excited, I'm starving!" she remarked as she gave him a gleeful smile.

V rolled his eyes at her and gestured for her to leave the room, "You just ate a snack about an hour ago."

"Yes, well, it's the baby, not me!"

"I doubt that. Your eating habits haven't changed that much, you know." He said, his tone unamused.

"You're really awful sometimes, you know?" she joked as she looped her arm through his.

"I just like to tease you, that's all."

As they chatted for a few minutes more, V led her to the Gallery so that she could retrieve her coat. "It's a bit chilly for September, don't you think?" she asked.

"It is indeed. Make sure Eric is there first before you go and please be careful," he said as he helped her put the coat on.

Evey scoffed slightly at him and gave him a face, "Oh, V. The entire country knows that I am with child and that my suitor, _Atticus Coulson,_ is the father. I'm sure if anyone was to steal me it would have been ages ago."

"Please don't say that," he said firmly, his body tensing up rigidly.

They both knew that Evey had enemies and that she had in fact received a few threats from those who opposed her and her lifestyle choice. It was hard for her to come out with such great news and to start carting V around to various public events and parties, but their transition was getting somewhat easier these days. She knew he had a right to be cautious and every time he was forced to join her it took massive amounts of time for him to assemble his costume. She was always impressed, however, with how well he was able to realistically portray his prosthetics and make up. Nothing about his adornments were cheesy and she never felt weird or embarrassed to show him off to her people. It was hard for V to be such a different person, but he played his part very well and she could thank all of his prior experience with theatrics for that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend or hurt you. I know I shouldn't joke about those things," she said softly, feeling like a child who was just scolded.

"It's alright, Evey. I don't mean to be harsh with you, but you know how dangerous this game is. You need to be careful out there even if it means you are just going to the end of the street," he said gently, squeezing her arm for support.

"I promise I'll be back soon, Eric just texted me," she said as she showed him the message. When V was satisfied, he backed away and allowed her to leave and watched as she disappeared through the door frame.

When she arrived at the top of the landing, she walked quickly down the street to meet Mr. Finch just a few blocks away. When she arrived at the corner she found him standing there with his trench coat draped casually over his shoulders. He gave her a small smile when he saw her and she immediately gave him a quick hug before leading him to the Gallery.

This was the first time that he would be received into their home and she was pleased that V had managed to find the comfort of allowing an outsider to join them.

"How was your journey over? Where did you leave your car?" she asked.

"It was fine and I parked just a few blocks away. It should be alright over there."

"Good! Well I hope you're hungry! V has made us some lasagna and fresh garlic bread. I'm terribly excited," she said enthusiastically.

Mr. Finch chuckled and nodded, "Yes. I know you talk a big game about his cooking, I'm eager to try it. Thank you for having me over at this time."

"Oh the pleasure is all ours! I'm so happy we are able to have a guest in the Gallery. This is a huge step for V. Besides me you are the only other person to see it. He has such an impressive collection of art and other artifacts; you'll be blown away."

"I am eager to finally see it. I know he stole all of those goods," he remarked bitterly.

"Don't sound so bitter, he will tease you relentlessly for it," she warned.

Mr. Finch shrugged, "Just because we work together now does not mean I have to really like him."

She couldn't help but laugh and she flashed him a wicked grin, "I'm sure he feels the same, but I appreciate you both trying for me."

* * *

When they reached the Gallery, Evey led through the heavy wooden entrance of their home. It was warm and bright with fresh violet carsons residing on a table nearby. She couldn't help but notice him tense up at the sight of them and she blushed in response. Despite the fact that all of V's murders had happened nearly two years ago and were obviously justified she knew it was still a bitter pill for Mr. Finch to swallow.

"Please let me take your coat, Eric and I will also fetch you a drink. Make yourself at home," she said sweetly, trying to distract him.

Mr. Finch nodded his head in response and allowed Evey to take his coat from him. As she disappeared, he began to roam around the Gallery in utter awe. V had stolen remarkable pieces of artwork, books, furniture and all sorts of things that Mr. Finch had not even since before Chancellor Sutler's reign. It was an odd thing for him to realize just how skilled of a thief V was and who exactly he was dealing with. Underneath his soft exterior there was a deadly man and he couldn't help but be surprised at how well tamed he had become since Evey had come into his life.

Behind him a familiar gruff voice cleared their throat, startling Mr. Finch to a point where he flinched at the sound. There V stood in his Guy Fawkes get up wearing the silliest apron with flowers adorning it, but Mr. Finch dare not make a comment.

"Hello, Mr. Finch," he said plainly.

Mr. Finch tensed mildly at his acknowledgement and nodded his head at him, suddenly feeling overpowered by the change in his costume. Over the past several months V had only shown himself as _Atticus Coulson_ to the public (which included Mr. Finch) so it had been a while since he had seen the notorious masked vigilante, sans apron.

"V." he replied coolly.

Breaking the ice almost immediately, Evey came back into the room with a glass of wine and a massive grin on her face, "Here you are Mr. Finch! I really hope you're hungry. I'm starving! I feel like it's been ages since the last time I've had something to eat,"

"Er…thank you, Evey. Once again I appreciate you both having me over for dinner this evening."

"Oh it's no trouble at all, V always makes more than he should so we end up having leftovers all the time…although I guess it's not too terrible, I tend to eat them all. This baby really knows how to eat!" she said, giggling at her comment.

When no one laughed at her cute small talk, she frowned and turned to give V a questionable look. He was standing solidly behind her, clearly making Mr. Finch feel as awkward as possible just because he could. She gave him a look of annoyance and crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh will you two stop? It isn't as if you haven't seen each other in a while. In any case, Mr. Finch, how could you be wary of a man who wears an apron with pretty _flowers_ on it?"

V sighed and folded his arms strongly over his chest as Mr. Finch tried not to laugh. He refused to feel anything other than pride for his interesting taste in aprons.

"And if you're wondering if it's even mine, it _isn't_. Now will you both please help make this evening a pleasant one so I can enjoy my dinner?"

Both men grumbled their apologies for Evey's sake and turned to head for the kitchen behind her. She looked over her shoulder and grinned fantastically at them both as they followed her with sulking attitudes, "Now that's more like it!" she beamed.

"You do look rather silly in that apron, lad," Mr. Finch muttered to V.

V scoffed and allowed for Mr. Finch to go ahead of him, "At least I have the confidence to do to wear what I feel _prettiest_ in."

* * *

Once dinner was finished, Evey and V led Mr. Finch into the 'telly area' for some tea. They were chatting about the upcoming elections and how interesting the race had become since the campaigns began in late April.

"Mr. Bass has been doing exceptionally well. I am pleased to see him so well received by the public," Evey said as she took a brief sip of her tea.

Mr. Finch nodded in agreement, "Yes, I do agree with you. He seems to have a certain air about him that works well with everyone he encounters."

"I do believe he has been in politics for a while now, correct?" she asked.

"Yes, but you know that he could not do anything in the past few years because of Sutler," he replied.

V was sitting quietly in his favorite chair nearby, keeping his thoughts to himself. He wasn't sure if he trusted Willard Bass and how he felt about him being so 'well received' by the public so quickly. Most of the general public seemed to be in favor of Evey and her current position and he wished that she would give that more of a chance. Of course now with the baby coming into their lives he wondered how much she would be interested in working in politics once it was born.

"What say you, V? What do you make of Mr. Bass?" Mr. Finch asked as he settled into their couch.

V folded his hands casually over his lap and shrugged, feigning disinterest, "I am sure he is a decent chap, but I'm wary of his politics."

"Well we knew that, but what is it exactly that makes you so wary?" he questioned.

"He may or may not have worked with fingermen in the past." V said sharply.

Evey placed her cup into its saucer gingerly, giving V a look of bewilderment, "When did you hear about this?"

"I heard it accidentally while I was out one evening back in April."

"So you have no real proof?" Mr. Finch asked.

"No, I do not, but that doesn't mean I am ruling what I heard out completely."

V always had his doubts with every politician and he knew that this was to be expected in the election. He just hoped that his influence on Evey would be enough for her to recognize who was being truthful and who was not.

"Well, I think it's important for us to consider the rumors as well as what we know. The people will find out sooner or later," Evey said as she gave V a small, yet encouraging smile.

"Right, I agree. For now, we should probably keep that in hushed tones unless we hear anything similar," said Mr. Finch.

"Isn't Mr. Bass giving a party soon at his house in London?" Evey questioned.

Mr. Finch nodded his head, "Yes, I believe that is coming up very soon. Will you both be attending?"

"I believe we must in order to keep up appearances and so forth. It is very important that I attend any party given by all those who are running in the campaign to maintain fairness," she said as she took another sip of her tea.

V nodded, "I hate that that has become a regular thing for you, but I suppose it can be a necessary evil."

Evey smirked at him teasingly and shook her head, "Sometimes dressing up can be fun."

As the three continued to chat and wind down their conversation, Mr. Finch started to stand and gesture for the door, "Alright I think I must go since it is getting a little late. I sincerely thank you both for allowing me to join you for dinner, it has been a pleasure eating inside the terrorist's home," he joked.

Laughing, Evey stood with him and led him to the door, "Really, Eric, you are most welcome here any time. Don't let my V bully you at all. The past is the past and in the end we all wanted the same thing."

After Evey said her goodbyes she disappeared into the kitchen to get a head start on cleaning and to give the men the necessary space they needed to speak their peace. No matter how difficult V could be sometimes she knew he would do the right thing in the end for her sake.

"Let me see you out down the corridor, Mr. Finch." V said politely as he walked him out of the Gallery.

"Thank you. I wanted to speak to you about something while I have you alone anyway," Mr. Finch began as they walked down the corridor.

"You have my full attention."

"It's about the relationship you have with Evey. To the public it may seem a little scandalous that you are in such committed place without the promise of marriage."

"Who says I haven't considered marrying her?" V asked, clearly displeased.

"Her people. It would be favorable to them to know their Princess is in safe hands since they are not too sure who this Atticus Coulson person really is."

"It does not matter if they do not see it as 'favorable,' it is none of their business." V could admit he was getting more irritated by the second at how ridiculous this conversation was.

"I'm not saying I disagree with you, but I am saying it is something that you should consider. I apologize if I have offended you. Please do not take this as a critique, but from someone who cares about her just as much as you do and would never wish to see her unhappy."

V paused a moment before they reached the end of the tunnel, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly. He wasn't too sure Mr. Finch was even being truthful about the entire thing and he wondered if this was a personal jab at him.

"I appreciate your concern, Mr. Finch. Thank you for bringing that up. I will be sure to think this over very carefully."

There was a tightness in V's voice that Mr. Finch chose to ignore and he nodded at him gravely before disappearing into the night. V closed the door tightly behind the man and made sure the bolts on the heavy steal door were locked and secure. Truth be told he had been thinking about his future with Evey and what that would mean for their relationship, but he wasn't so sure he knew her feelings on the matter. The demons were hissing and spitting jeering thoughts into his mind when he began to think about her reaction.

If he couldn't even show her his real face, how would she ever truly accept him as her husband? There were things about marriage that V wasn't so sure he was ready to accept and even if Evey could comply with his dark side he knew it wouldn't be fair to her.

V couldn't be unfair to her.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello, hello! WOW this was a really long chapter for me to write! I have to be honest with you guys, it took me several months to get this out. For some weird reason I wasn't able to map out this chapter the way I wanted so I gave up for a while to concentrate on school and whatnot. Then one-day last week I was thinking about it and suddenly KABLAM I was able to get out of it what I wanted! Sometimes I forget how difficult it is to write for V so I hope I did him some justice this time. I just love that guy so much and the character I have shaped in my head is so dear to me. I hope this chapter has proven worthy and I appreciate all the sweet feedback from you all. Please continue to let me know how I am doing and I will try harder to get another chapter out for you guys soon! XOXO ~ _merimekko_


	5. Chapter 5

Nestled in her favorite nook of the Shadow Gallery, Evey sat with a fleece blanket strewn across her lap as she engrossed herself in one of her new pregnancy books that V had bought for them. Of course he had already read the book _twice_ leaving her completely in the dust in just a matter of two weeks. She always wondered how he managed to read so many books in such a short amount of time, but she figured without a revolution to plan and vengeful murders to plot he didn't really have much else to look forward to. This thought made her snicker quietly.

It was nearing the end of September and her expected due date was in mid December. She frequently visited her doctor Jonathan Crowe as much as possible for check ups and advice. V had not taken her diet lightly and always found a way to provide her with fresh meats, fruits and vegetables to keep her and the baby healthy per Jonathan's recommendations. He also made sure that she was taking her vitamins and getting enough exercise.

Lately with his newfound persona as Atticus Coulson they frequently made trips to town to support the local businesses that had been taking off since the destruction of Norsefire. At first V felt hesitant to emerge into society as a somewhat normal man, but for appearances sake he had to support and protect Evey with her growing status as "Princess."

The people of England were in love with the couple and often sent baby gifts to her office. It started to become a bit overwhelming the closer she got to her due date. As intimidating as it was for her to become a celebrity, it gave her encouragement to continue to work hard and to stand up for the rights of their newborn country. She spoke frequently at charity events, social gatherings, political conventions and so forth to be one with her Nation. She also visited with the locals on a personal level and always took her time seeing and being involved with the community.

V was always worried for her safety and constantly warned her of the dangers she faced when going out alone to these events, but she dismissed him most of the time despite his warnings. She felt as though she was always cautious and either V or Mr. Finch would always be near if she felt unsafe. Evey loved England and she loved the direction their country was taking now that reasonable people were running for the election and cared just as much for the growth of their society just as much as she did. Therefore, she felt as though she had nothing to worry about.

Being lost in thought for a few moments, she smiled to herself as she began to drift away from her book and to the actual baby that resided within her. She placed her hand atop of her stomach and slowly caressed the rather large bump. Now that she was entering the third trimester of her pregnancy she often resided within her home to work and to avoid too much strenuous activity. V had very graciously spoiled her with gifts of her favorite bath bombs, lotions, candles, soft clothes and treats to keep her happy and comfortable. She felt so blessed then to know how lucky she was to have him in her life.

There had been times where she had felt sadness over the thought of not having her family there to enjoy this new blessing with her. She missed her mother so very much and wished she could talk to her and seek out her comfort during this time. However, whenever she began to feel sad she remembered just how amazing it was to have V with her there and to know how much he loved her and cherished her. She didn't quite feel as though she deserved his kindness on the days when she wasn't feeling quite well, but despite that he loved her anyway and did his best to keep her satisfied.

As she reflected on these things she didn't even notice V had entered the room and knelt down beside her. He placed a gloved hand on the crook of her elbow and she jumped slightly at the touch. Chuckling softly, he said, "I'm sorry I did not mean to frighten you."

A warm smile touched the corners of her lips and she shook her head, "It's alright. I guess I was just a little lost in my own thoughts."

"What were you thinking?" he asked curiously as he moved to sit beside her on the chaise lounge.

She moved comfortably to where her legs were stretched out over his lap and she sighed, "I was thinking about how much I love you and how far we've come as a couple over the past few years."

V nodded his head thoughtfully, venturing his hands down her legs to massage any aches or pains she may have had, "I do believe it took us some time for us to get to this point."

"Do you remember our first kiss?" she asked, a small smile forming to her lips.

Blushing a bit, he was grateful she could not see his reaction as he recalled the treasured event, "Yes…and it wasn't very pleasant."

Giggling softly, she nudged his chest with her foot and shook her head, "I disagree. It was pleasant…we just needed some practice."

Thinking back to this particular moment in time, V recalled it quite vividly. It was after he had been back at the Shadow Gallery for over two months. They were bickering a lot about where they stood as a couple and Evey was frustrated with him for being so difficult. No matter how many times she confessed her feelings for him she always hit a brick wall. She knew he was trying, but it also felt as though he wasn't giving them as much of a chance as they deserved. They constantly spoke of how it was destiny for him to get off that train and to find the motivation to come back to her. She knew that it was fate and he questioned whether or not he was good enough for her.

" _In truth, you are probably not, but I don't care about that. I love you with all my heart, V."_ he remembered her saying.

" _Let me love you, let me show you how I feel. This is not a mistake; this is not something you or I will regret. Just let me love you."_

The way she had pleaded with him somehow convinced him of his stupidity and in the darkness of his bedroom he removed the mask and allowed her to feel the contours and shapes of his features. Soon enough her lips tried to find his and she kissed his face multiple times before she found his lips. He felt embarrassed in not knowing how to do it properly, but it didn't seem to phase her in the slightest and he beckoned her to teach him.

As he was being pulled away from his own thoughts, her smile remained as he looked over at her.

"This kind of love has changed the both of us, I believe," he said softly.

"Isn't that what love is supposed to do?" she questioned him thoughtfully.

"Yes, I believe so."

For a moment they looked at each other; their breathing even and slow. Evey felt as though her expressions of love were clear in her eyes, something she wished she could see in his. When V portrayed Atticus she constantly found herself mystified in his presence. Even though the prosthetics concealed his true face she felt as though she could catch glimpses into his actual appearance. His eyes were so expressive and his lips would quirk into the tiniest of smirks when he would catch her staring at him. Sometimes she would feel guilty for admiring the presence of his falsehood. Atticus Coulson was not truly V and could be deciphered as a completely different person. Evey often wondered what that did to V's psyche and his self confidence, but she didn't bring up the subject much. She figured that if it truly bothered him he would express with her his feelings on the matter since they kept no secrets from one another.

"V, could I ask you something?"

"Anything," he replied simply.

"How much do you really think has changed in over a year between us?"

V smirked beneath the mask and turned his attention to her swollen stomach, "I think you know the answer to that question, my dear."

She half smiled at his response and shrugged, "Perhaps I do, but I was wondering if anything had changed significantly since then?"

"Considering you are very much pregnant with my child at the moment, I would say so. However, if you are speaking of something else you should consider being more specific," he replied.

Evey made a face at him and looked away, feeling the heat prickle up to her cheeks. She knew very well that it was easier said than done to question him about removing his mask and the more she thought about it the less confident she had become in herself. Shaking her head, her honey-blonde curls briefly kissed the edges of her cheeks and she hid beneath them in embarrassment.

"Never mind, don't worry about it. Forget I asked you any of this, V."

Tilting his head to the side ever so slightly, V reached to cup her chin and brush the hair from her face.

"Truly, I would not hang a dog by my will, much more a man who hath any honesty in him," he quoted softly.

Hesitating for a moment, she shrugged and tucked a curl behind her ear, wrapping the fleece blanket tightly across her middle. He was studying her carefully as if she were an unusual specimen under a microscope. The warmth of his gloved hand on her leg made her feel slightly nervous as she wondered how she could ever bring up the questions she truly desired to have answered even though she had just finished rationalizing that they could be honest with one another. Why did this have to be so confusing?

"I hope you know that when you are ready to tell me I will listen, Evey," said V as he took note of her discomfort. The last thing he wanted to do was to make her feel on edge and he tried to dismiss her negativity by tracing small patterns onto her skin.

"I know," she whispered.

* * *

The next day, Evey was rummaging through her rather small closet to find a dress suitable enough for Willard Bass's party that evening.

This would be the first of many invites they would receive during the course of the final weeks of the election. Both V and Mr. Finch were rather hesitant about attending the gatherings, but Evey had insisted that it would be rude for them not to attend. After all, Willard Bass wasn't the only one giving a party, he just happened to be the first to do so.

"Found anything yet?" V asked as he made his presence known in the room.

Evey smirked and looked over her shoulder to find him dressed in his tux for that evening. He still adorned the mask and wig for that it would take him a while to put on the prosthetics.

"No, sadly. I have no idea what to wear. I feel like a gigantic whale and I know none of my normal clothes will fit."

V chuckled slightly and approached her closet, "I don't think you look like a whale, my dear. You are still very small."

Rolling her eyes, she placed a gentle hand on his arm to study his appearance, "You are supposed to say those sort of things to me. I mustn't pay you too much mind."

"I will always say the truth even if I find it unpleasant," he admitted sheepishly.

Thwacking his arm playfully, she tugged on the fabric of his blazer to get a better look of his appearance.

"You're looking very smart, where did you get that suit?" she asked.

He shrugged and replied slyly, "I have my ways."

"Do you mean _Atticus_ has his ways or you?"

"Both. I find myself and Atticus have rather similar methods in achieving what we need through the use of charm and persuasion. In any case I didn't _steal_ it if that's what you are alluding to. I merely borrowed it for this one occasion."

Evey giggled and shook her head, "Well that's a relief. Also, mind you that your _charm_ and _persuasion_ might work on the storekeepers but it won't on me."

"How do you know it hasn't already?" he challenged, making Evey squirm slightly under his watchful gaze.

"Hush you. We need to hurry and get ready for this event. I haven't even begun to get ready and yet I am already wishing it was over. Why did I say yes to this again?" She already knew the answer to this question even though she posed it on him. V crossed his arms thoughtfully in front of his chest and sighed, "God only knows why. I think it might have been something along the lines of "obligation" and "fairness."

"Political mumbo-jumbo, I know. Do remind me to never say yes to one of these things again without the proper attire."

"You'll find something suitable, I promise. Come into my bedroom with me for a moment," he said as he offered her his arm.

Taking it reluctantly she allowed him to lead her there and once she stepped through the door she noticed a bag hanging from the door of his closet. Looking up at him skeptically he gestured for her to take a better look. Unzipping the bag carefully she unveiled a beautiful velvet black and sophisticated dress that was short sleeved and ran to her knees. She smiled and ran her hands over the soft fabric and brought it up to her cheek for a better feel.

"This is quite lovely, V, but how do you know it will fit?" she asked him skeptically as she turned around to find Guy Fawkes smiling broadly back at her.

"Try it on and let me know. It was just a guess, really."

"Hopefully you're as good at guessing my size as you are with your elegant charm and wit on helpless store keepers," she remarked teasingly.

Walking over to his full length mirror she began to remove her shirt and sweat pants from her body. At this point in their relationship and her pregnancy, Evey didn't mind being nude in front of him. She knew that he would look away just because he was a gentleman, but she often encouraged him to come closer to her and to feel her growing stomach and to touch her in general.

She thought back to when they had first started figuring out their feelings for one another and how bashful he was at touching her. It was an endless pursuit on her part to convince him that she was not some thorny monster and that she _wanted_ him to touch her. It was hard for him to understand how to love her and that her touch would always be loving and kind. They would speak of his past in the Resettlement Camps and how often he was tortured ruthlessly by his "nurses" and other "caretakers." It pained him to be so nervous for that in the moments he was able to touch her it brought him into a state of peace. He would get confused and often experience bouts of depression in not being able to process those feelings as quickly as she did. However, she never left and she never judged him. She was thoughtful, patient and she was good at reminding herself not to raise her voice at him.

Once he started to realize that she was not going to reject him, his reserve began to break and his heart began to open up for her. They started off slow, holding hands without his gloves on the couch. It was rather grade school to Evey to start off in such a way, but she loved how gentle his touch was in contrast to the harshness of his dark persona. They then began to cuddle more regularly on the couch while they were watching a movie and then on the bed when he would tuck her in at night. She remembered several mornings that he would actually stay with her in the bed and be sound asleep when she would wake in the morning, giving her an opportunity to gaze at him lovingly without him staring back.

Their first kiss would be the biggest step of all, giving Evey the opportunity to touch his face without the barriers of the mask. She remembered giggling softly at him when they were laying on his bed one night, practicing their newfound love for one another. It was dark so she could not see his true self, but he would allow her to feel him without the mask for a second time.

" _I'm sorry Evey, I feel so embarrassed to admit that I have no idea what I'm doing,"_ he spoke quietly, sadly even.

She shook her head rapidly and placed a gentle finger against his surprisingly soft lips, _"Don't apologize. I'm happy to teach you."_

Beckoning him to come closer, she placed her small hand against his square jawline and traced his features with the tip of her fingers. His lips parted slightly and he uttered a hesitant breath, unsure of whether or not to take the plunge or allow her to lead. She moved her head closer to his and he met her with a soft peck. Instead of backing away, however, she kept herself rooted in her position and she grazed his bottom lip with her tongue. In response he let out a small laugh and she asked him, startled, if she were moving too fast.

" _It just tickled a bit, please forgive me,"_ he whispered as he pulled her closer, taking his ungloved hand and knotting it in her short hair.

It came as a surprise to her when he mimicked her move and sought permission to enter her mouth fully. She accepted his willing gesture and kissed him deeply, yet slowly, causing them both to be submerged within each other's embrace. The kiss lasted forever it seemed and when they were done V did not try to run away from her. Instead he requested they stay locked within each other's arms for the remainder of the night.

It was truly the best _second kiss_ she had ever shared with anyone.

Calling her from her thoughts, she didn't even realize V had moved to help her put on the dress. He helped steady her as she relied on him for support to slide the dress over her figure and to zip it up in the back.

Giving him a bewildered look, she placed a hand on her hip and began to inspect herself from all angles.

"V, I'm so impressed. You did such a great job guessing my size! I love it!" she exclaimed, grinning toothily at him as he bowed his head.

"Anything for you, Evey. I'm glad you like it."

She reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to her body so she could thank him properly for his gift. He accepted her open arms and squeezed her carefully, being sure not to harm her or their child.

"Do you still feel like a _giant whale_?" he asked her jokingly.

"Yes and no. I wasn't expecting it to be so tight, but it is surprisingly form fitting," she said.

Giving her one last squeeze he let her go and gestured to his vanity where he had already set out his supplies to transform into Atticus.

Already knowing that was her queue to leave, she merely smiled at him and kissed the porcelain mask of Guy Fawkes before trotting off to find a pair of shoes to match her outfit.

* * *

Evey felt rather giddy in her new outfit as she admired every detail of the dress and her new shoes. She decided to let her curls dangle loosely that night for a more natural look and it made her happy to finally feel comfortable in a nice dress. It had been so long since she had gotten to dress up for a special occasion and she wondered if V would ever be able to get used to doing these sort of things with her.

A part of her wondered if he enjoyed it more than he let on considering he loved pretending to be different characters. She prayed that his portrayal of Atticus would not make him feel burdened and she also wondered if he ever wanted to take back what he said about coming into the public eye to support her. Trying to shake the thoughts from her head, she searched her jewelry box for a velvet black choker necklace and reached to put it on. When she was finally satisfied she strolled out of her room to approach the main room of the Gallery. There standing by the Wurlitzer, V had his hands over the glass box as he searched for a song. She smiled when she studied the back of him, the dark hair of the wig contrasting nicely with his elegant and form fitting suit. Evey couldn't help but giggle at the thought of V actually having decent taste in clothes. She could only figure he must have done a lot of research to play the part of his new character.

"How do I look?" she asked him as she announced her presence by twirling around to show off her outfit.

V turned around to face her and kept his hands planted behind him on the Wurlitzer. Smiling impishly, he nodded, his light blue eyes encompassing her appearance. She was beautiful.

"You look amazing," he remarked genuinely, his gaze faltering from hers shyly as she approached him.

Feeling shy herself she placed her hands behind her back and stood in front of him, still not able to reach his height even in her very high heels.

"Are you sure you will be comfortable in those?" he asked, gesturing to her feet.

She shook her head, "I don't anticipate it. I'm planning on bringing another pair once my feet get tired."

"Ahh, I see. Good choice."

"Mhm," she said, biting her bottom lip as she tried to contain her excitement.

He tentatively reached out for her hands and she noticed he was not wearing any gloves. The red blotchy skin that adorned his palms and fingers did not resemble his smooth, blemish free skin on his face and she wondered what he would do to conceal them.

"I plan on wearing gloves this evening," he said as he ran his thumbs over her knuckles, automatically knowing what she was thinking.

"I still can't believe how convincing you look. Your work is amazing," she said as she scanned his face with her eyes.

V looked away apprehensively, still finding it difficult to hold her gaze without the protection of the mask. Even after these past two years he still caught himself feeling nervous in her presence.

"Thank you, I can't believe it myself to be honest," he admitted, his tone a bit unsure.

She gave his hands a gentle squeeze and smiled up at him, "Are you excited for this evening?"

Giving her a gentle squeeze back, he sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "Not particularly, but I know you are and I want to do my best at being supportive."

"You've honestly been very supportive over these past few months. I know this isn't your thing, but just think, because of you we can actually have these sort of gatherings and they are for the benefit of our people, not for ourselves. We are all working together to take back what was stolen from us and we all owe it to you, V." Her tone was hopeful, powerful enough to persuade him of his original opinion. He knew she was right. It was very important that these things were happening and he was grateful that he was alive to be able to watch his beloved make a stand for the country she loved.

"It takes a great deal of courage to be in the place that you are in, Evey. I hope you know just how proud of you I am," he said as he raised his eyes to look at her. His gaze was loving and it made her blush when she returned his warmth. Feeling completely lost in his eyes, she didn't even realize that he had pulled her closer and tilted her chin up so that he could brush a small kiss upon her lips. They were so smooth and seemed to be able to capture her own with hardly any effort. What amazed her even more was that they felt the exact same as when she had kissed him without any mask on at all. Forces of electricity passed between them and when they released their connection somehow still remained.

"I love you," she breathed, keeping her position.

A small smile formed over his cheeks and he gently rested his forehead to hers, "I love you, Evey."

* * *

There was a certain joyful air to the city of London that evening as V and Evey made their way into town. The happiness of the newly rebuilt city was contagious to its inhabitants and a warm feeling of pride and amazement filled Evey's soul at the sight of it. To have V with her in this moment, to experience the beauty of their accomplishments, was exhilarating. Two years ago she wouldn't have been able to imagine a world that was rid of hate and power lust. It was a dream come true.

"How are you feeling, _Atticus_?" she asked, her lips quirking into a strange smile when she said the name. In order to keep up with appearances Evey was forced to call him by his stage name in front of their driver who initially paid them no mind.

"I'm quite well my dear. Are you nervous?" he queried, reaching to grab her hand within his.

"Not at all. It's been quite some time since I have been able to get dressed up. I'm also really excited to meet with everyone and for you to meet the candidates," Her enthusiasm brought a great smile to his lips as he tried to imagine Evey being a social butterfly. In truth he was not sure of how much she would change after he had imprisoned her. Those dark memories continuously haunted him and it sent a shiver down his spine. She had used that situation to her benefit over the past year and a half that they had been together and he wasn't so sure on how she was able to do it.

 _There is a romantic side to struggle, the idea of rising from the ashes._ He thought solemnly to himself as he glanced down at their clasped hands between them.

 _What on earth did I do to have this woman love me?_

He noticed Evey had given him a gentle squeeze to grasp his attention and his eyes flickered to hers for a moment before responding, "I look forward to it as well, my dear."

As the car pulled up to the flat, Evey's attention suddenly focused on the lavish party being held inside the rather large building. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head at the sight of it and felt a hint of concern. She didn't feel that it was right for the candidates to be flashing around their money and she wondered if she had made a mistake being there. Before she could even protest, the driver stepped out of the car and went to open her door. As she got out of the car she warily looked back at V as they were ushered to the front of the house.

Loud, pulsing music came from within that sent Evey's chest rattling. Her eyes sprung upward at the sound of party goer's laughter and that's when she noticed all three floors of the flat were packed with people. Why wasn't she informed on how large the guest list was?

V kept silent behind her and watched as her confused expression contorted into a look of irritation. He decided a long time ago that he would allow Evey to make her own decisions on these types of matters and thought it best to keep his opinions to himself. This was not his world to shape anymore, nor did he have the power to accept or deny silly invitations.

When they entered the apartment, the music got a bit louder as they walked through the swarm of people who covered the foyer. It was in that moment that Evey realized that this was not just members of the new council and their families, it was half the London population. People of all backgrounds and social standings interacted with one another in the most normal way possible. It was both a shock and a relief to her to witness such a thing and she wondered how on earth Mr. Bass managed to fit so many people in his home.

Fishing for V's hand, she grabbed onto the soft leather of his gloves and they walked towards the center of the apartment. They approached a large balcony that overlooked a dance floor with a DJ playing in the corner. Never seeing a party like this before, Evey turned her head to give V a bewildered look as he shrugged his shoulders and suddenly nodded to a man in the corner. Squinting her eyes, Evey was able to make out that it was Mr. Finch, hovering over by the edge of the balcony with Dominic Stone at his side.

She silently nodded at V and they began to wade through the crowd again until they reached Mr. Finch and Dominic on the other side from where they had entered.

"Well I certainly wasn't expecting this," she remarked as she began to study the atmosphere.

People were laughing, chatting and dancing all over the place as waiters came about with champagne and finger foods. Mr. Finch rolled his eyes and clutched his beer in his hand, "You're telling me. Mr. Bass had no intentions of letting this be a _small_ get together."

"Clearly not. Have you seen him by any chance?" she asked.

"At first when we came in, but I haven't seen him in over an hour." Mr. Finch replied as he took a swig of his drink. Looking up at V, he gave him a partially sour look as he held out his hand.

"Oh, have you met my partner Dominic Stone, _Mr. Coulson_?" he inquired, putting heavy emphasis on his fake name. V gave him a half smile and held out his hand to the gentleman, ignoring Mr. Finch's tone, "Not that I recall. How do you do?"

"Fine, thanks. Care to have a drink with us?" Dominic asked as he returned his hand shake.

V pursed his lips together as he gave the invitation some thought and then he nodded his head agreeably, "Yes, I think I would like something. Where will I find the bar?"

As Dominic led V away to find a beverage, Evey smiled when he looked back at her to give her a wink. There was something about those crystalline blue eyes of his that made her knees weak and she blushed in response. Tugging her away from her thoughts, Mr. Finch placed a hand on her elbow and brought her to a quiet space away from the party goers.

"I have to be honest, I wasn't expecting him to invite all of London into his home. I'm really impressed that he did that," Evey said as she glanced around the environment.

The apartment was decorated rather costly and she pursed her lips at the sight of it, wondering what Mr. Bass's game was.

"Apparently he has many ties with the community. The people really love him. His house is open to visitors all the time and he is a frequent donor to the local charities that have sprung up since the end of Norsefire. From what I hear he is a very stand up bloke," he said.

Evey gave him a questioning look and shook her head, "I'm confused. I wonder where he has gotten the money to afford such luxuries as this?"

Mr. Finch shrugged his shoulders, "Apparently it is family money. His parents moved here several years ago and took their fortune with them. I think they owned a few businesses, but they were under strict regulations during the reign of Sutler. I'm not sure how much profit they had, but it was still enough for him to keep his family home and some of the businesses after the revolution,"

"That makes sense I suppose. I wonder what V was on about when he mentioned the bit that Mr. Bass used to work with fingermen?" she asked, her voice lowering slightly so that only Mr. Finch could hear.

Taking a small sip of his beer, Mr. Finch shook his head, "I tried digging into that a bit. I didn't find anything unusual about his records, but then again who knows if they have been tampered with since Sutler's reign. Since we have no proof then there is nothing we can do."

"You would think that V would have tried to sniff it out, but he hasn't mentioned it again since that night you came for dinner," she murmured, her eyes darting around to see if anyone was paying attention to them.

Mr. Finch sighed, "Believe me, the moment I get wind of something like that again I will be like a blood hound to discover the information. You can count on me."

"I know I can, thank you Eric," she said as she gave him a small smile.

They decided to change the subject and talk a bit more before they were interrupted by a booming voice from the other side of the room. Willard Bass approached them in a gracious manner, a handsome grin resting on his youthful features.

He was a tall man, maybe a bit taller than V (that Evey could figure) with long golden hair styled to slick back. His eyes were a soft emerald that seemed to brighten the moment they laid on hers. She couldn't help but notice how perfectly white his teeth were and how elegant his person was as he approached them. Had he always been so charming?

"Miss. Hammond, it is an honor to have you here. Are your needs met? Do you need me to get you a drink?" he asked, taking her hand in his to give it a soft peck.

Evey made a slight face and laughed, unsure of how to respond to such a grand gesture. She could tell Mr. Finch was not very amused.

"Mr. Bass, thank you for having me and Mr. Coulson. I appreciate your concern with my needs, but I am fine. Perhaps a glass of water would be nice though," she said as she watched him quickly fetch a waiter to fulfill her request. When he returned he offered his hand to Mr. Finch to shake and then continued to chat with them.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss. Hammond. I'm very glad that you and Mr. Coul-, Atticus, is it not? - could make it this evening. I am very pleased with the turn out of this event. I was honestly surprised that so many were able to attend," he said just as the waiter came by with her beverage. Evey smiled and thanked the waiter before taking a sip of the drink.

"Do you plan on making a speech later?" Mr. Finch asked, eying him somewhat suspiciously.

Mr. Bass grinned and nodded his head, seemingly unaware of the tone Mr. Finch gave, "Yes, of course. That was the plan for this evening. I wanted to be able to reach the public in a personal way by hosting such a large event. I'm unsure of the particular rules we had established a few weeks ago, but nonetheless it was something I've been planning for a while."

Evey smiled and nodded her head, "I do not believe there were any rules for the events, Mr. Bass. I am looking very much forward to hearing you speak."

"You're very kind, Miss. Hammond. Say, I will catch up with the two of you later and I will be sure to find Mr. Coulson soon. It is an honor to host you all in my home," said Mr. Bass before he shook their hands again and walked off to speak with a few other guests.

Turning back to look at her friend, Evey gave him a mysterious smile, "You know, for you to _somewhat_ approve of him I did detect a bit of hesitancy in your tone."

"I don't trust anyone, Evey. Even if they do provide free alcohol," he quipped before taking another sip of his beer.

* * *

Evey was soon reunited with V against the wall closer to the dance floor. They were enjoying being wallflowers as they people watched everyone around them.

"How are you enjoying your evening, my dear?" V asked before taking a sip of his beverage.

Smiling up at him joyfully, Evey replied, "Not bad, really. I've never really heard live music like this before."

V rolled his eyes and shook his head, "It's a shame this isn't real music."

Deep pulses thumped obnoxiously through the speakers at the front as the DJ continued to spin different beats. Evey gave him a confused look and pointed at the scene before them, "Then what do you call that?"

"Electronica."

"Isn't that a type of music?"

"Not very good music."

Making a face at him she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, I think I quite like it. When are you going to ask me to dance?"

"Don't be cheeky, love, I won't dance to this."

"Why not? It's music and we are at a party and I want to dance, isn't that good enough?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him in an attempt to get him to change his mind.

"Hardly, but perhaps he could be persuaded to play a different song. I'll be right back," he said as he handed her his empty glass and marched to the front of the dance floor. Evey watched him suspiciously as he got the attention of the DJ in an effortless attempt. It didn't take very long and suddenly a melodic rhythm began to pulsate through the speakers.

As the soft beat encouraged everyone to find a partner, couples began to flock with one another as others headed off the dance floor. When V's eyes found her own he gave her a smile and gestured for her to meet him. However, just as she was about to approach him, Mr. Bass stepped before her and bowed, "May I have this dance?"

"Uh, oh, well-," she began, unsure of what to say, "I was going to find-,"

"Your date?" he asked.

Suddenly V came up beside them and shook Mr. Bass's hand, "Stealing away my date?" he questioned.

Mr. Bass chuckled and returned the hand shake, "I merely saw this beautiful woman without a partner and wished to escort her onto the dance floor. Is that alright with you, Mr. Coulson?"

Briefly glancing at Evey, V smiled and bowed his head, "You have my permission."

Before she could even protest, Evey was swept away by Mr. Bass and she turned her head to give him a stern look. V merely smirked and returned to his place against the wall.

"I hope me asking to dance with you is not an issue, Princess," said Mr. Bass as he placed his right hand on her side and moved to grab her left.

"You certainly know how to flatter a pregnant woman,"

Mr. Bass laughed and nodded, "Yes, well, you look absolutely stunning this evening. Mr. Coulson is a lucky man."

Evey blushed and narrowed her eyes away from his, "Don't think that your charm will win you any points for the election, Mr. Bass."

"I wouldn't dream of it. I am only stating what it is obvious, Miss. Hammond," he said, his mouth twitching into a crooked smile.

As they waltzed amongst the other couples on the dance floor, Evey's eyes began to search for V. She found him standing against the wall, his hands behind his back and his gaze lingering in the other direction. She wondered what it was that he could be thinking about and she wished she could catch his gaze.

Mr. Bass was an astounding dancer and he led her with such grace that she felt as though she would not be able to catch up with.

"Are you fond of dancing, Miss. Hammond?" he questioned, bringing her back to reality.

Evey smiled and shook her head, "I do like it, but I fear I'm not very good at it."

"Nonsense, you are a natural. I can tell you have had a bit of practice."

"Not really, only just a few times in my life. When did you learn to dance?" she asked.

Mr. Bass smiled and raised his head while he pondered her question, "I think my mother taught me when I was about ten years old. She loved to dance."

"Where is your mother now?" she asked, feeling reminded of the conversation she had with V the first morning she was at the Shadow Gallery.

Taking a moment to pause, there was a sadness that lingered in Mr. Bass's soft emerald eyes as he spoke, "She's dead," he murmured, "but fortunately it was not because of Norsefire."

"Was she sick?" Evey questioned.

"Yes, she had lung cancer. It took her very quickly."

Evey frowned and gave him a sincere look as they continued to dance, "I'm sorry, Mr. Bass. I know what it is like to lose a parent."

"It's alright, thank you for your concern. I understand that your parents were taken by fingermen when you were a child," he said, his tone equally as sincere. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel as if she could trust him and she nodded her head gravely, "Yes, they were taken for being political activists. My brother was a student at St. Mary's and was infected with the virus. He died before they were taken."

"You have been through so much, Miss. Hammond. Your words are so powerful and true that it inspires so many. I remember about two years ago when you made your first speech after the death of V. I was very touched by your story," he admitted as his eyes settled on hers. There was a moment when she felt as though she could tear up at the memory of it, but she shook her head and smiled, "I am so pleased to hear that. It's nice to know I am inspiring others to help make a difference in this new world."

Mr. Bass smiled, "Of course, Miss. Hammond. You are the face of freedom to our people and this country could not be shaped properly without you."

For some reason that she could not explain she felt peace in this moment. Talking with someone who was equally passionate about the wellbeing of their people pleased her greatly. She felt guilty for questioning his loyalty and wondered how V could hear such things about someone who clearly has a good reputation with the people of England. Was he really just that paranoid? From the beginning since she had mentioned Mr. Bass, V had been hesitant. Was he holding something back from her?

When the dance was finished, Evey dismissed herself from the dance floor and slowly made her way to where she thought V was hiding. When he was nowhere to be found, she frowned and took her phone out from her pocket and began to check her messages. Damn him for not wanting to have a phone.

Meanwhile V had moved to another location to isolate himself from the crowd of people. He was starting to grow tired of the endless commotion of the party and wished he could depart. He had fulfilled his agreement to attend the party, but he felt as though his time was up. He was standing on the balcony that overlooked the dance floor, but submerged in the shadows. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he gazed down amongst the party goers down below, wondering if Evey had finished her dance since the song had changed to something more modern.

Without even flinching at the sudden approach of Mr. Finch, V sighed inwardly when he was forced to forfeit his peace and quiet.

"Getting tired of the festivities already, _Atticus_?" Mr. Finch questioned, his tone somewhat amusing.

V turned his head to the side briefly and responded, "I grow tired in the presence of people."

"Surely this is not your first time attending one of these events," Mr. Finch inquired.

Shaking his head slowly, he sighed, "I have not attended anything like this before, so yes it is my first time."

"I see, I see. I assume there will be many more events like this in your future, perhaps at your own home?"

Pursing his lips together, V narrowed his eyes at Mr. Finch's comment, but kept his face forward as he waited to see if he would continue.

"But I suppose it remains a mystery as to where Evey Hammond and Atticus Coulson reside in London." He was prying and doing so intentionally to aggravate V. He was aware that they had already spoken of what to do about purchasing a flat for them in London since Evey's old apartment had been torn down, but why Mr. Finch would bring up the subject right then was odd enough.

"We have been discussing those things, yes. What is your point with all of this, Finch?" V questioned, his head turning to face him as his tone began to turn to acid.

Mr. Finch cocked his head to the side and shrugged, "Just trying to see where your head has been since our last conversation."

"Why do you find this topic so interesting to speak of in public? Do you perhaps feel as though you are more safe to beleaguer me because Evey is near?" V sneered, his patience thinning enormously.

"You know very well why I feel the need to pressure you on this subject, V. Look around you and see the world she has become a part of. Things need to change and people want answers. They desire to know the personal life of their Princess and people are becoming suspicious. It could be dangerous for her and your unborn child if you do not make a move."

V paused a moment and suddenly let out an irritated laugh, his jaw clinching as he imagined how sweet it would be to put Eric Finch in pain. There was a deep hunger that still resided within him to punish those who trespassed against him despite how much he had changed. His temper was something that had been hard for him to control even though he managed to find ways to overcome it for Evey's sake.

Cranking his neck to the side to pop out a crick, he gave Mr. Finch a half smile, "I am not worried what others think about Evey, but I promise you that you do not need to worry about her. She is safe with me and you know I go to great lengths to see that she is protected."

"Let's hope that she does not make any enemies now because of your hesitancy," Mr. Finch replied, his features encompassing absolute seriousness.

Before V could even reply he caught a glimpse of Evey strolling up the stair case, one hand grasping the banister and the other on her stomach. It didn't take him even a minute to cross over the large crowd of people to reach her side.

"Evey, are you alright?" he asked, his countenance clearly worried.

She let out a small chuckle once she reached the top of the landing and nodded, "Oh yes, I think I've just pretty much out-danced myself down there and then I couldn't find you. I think I need to sit down for a little while. Mind finding me a chair?"

"Of course I will find one. Are you sure you do not want to leave?" he asked, hoping that she would say yes so that they could escape the chaos of the event.

Shaking her head, she gestured to the dance floor where Mr. Bass was setting up a microphone, "In a moment, I want to hear Mr. Bass's speech before we leave. Have you been with Mr. Finch this whole time?" she asked as she nodded her head towards her friend who was now standing with Dominic Stone.

Gritting his teeth briefly, he turned his head and smiled softly at Evey before nodding, "Yes, we were just having a chat. He found me hiding in the shadows."

Evey gave him a pitiful look before reaching for his hand to give it a squeeze, "I wish you wouldn't be so nervous to speak to others. Maybe it would do you some good to make friends?"

"Now you know I have no personal need for that," V said hurriedly as he helped her be seated close to the balcony to where she could see.

Giving him a face she made herself comfortable in the chair and awaited with V, Mr. Finch and Dominic to hear the speech Mr. Bass was about to give.

"My dear comrades of England, welcome to my London home. It is such an honor and pleasure to host you all here this evening," Mr. Bass began as people began to clap for him.

When they were finished, he continued, "This country has experienced so much pain and the grief that has followed has been unimaginable. We have seen things that other people around the world cannot even comprehend. The silence has been stiffening and we have struggled long enough. With the upcoming elections this November 5th to honor Guy Fawkes, V and most importantly Evey Hammond, it is our duty to change this country and to shape it to become better than how we found it by voting. These three people have paved the way for justice and it should inspire all of you to work hard to fight for our natural born freedoms and to obliterate hate and intolerance forever."

The crowd began to howl and more claps erupted from all three floors of the house. Distant shouts could be heard of people bashing Norsefire and a feeling of happiness overwhelmed Evey then as she witnessed the passion the crowd had for a new beginning. Could Willard Bass be the answer to all of their prayers?

As Mr. Bass wrapped up his speech, the crowd continued to explode with praise until the DJ played one last song to close out the evening. By this time V and Evey were making their way out of the apartment and saying goodbye to their friends. Mr. Finch gave V a knowing look before nodding at him and turning his attention to Evey as he gave her a brief kiss on the cheek.

"Mr. Coulson, Miss Hammond, I am so glad you could come this evening. It has truly been an honor having you both be here tonight," Mr. Bass said just as V and Evey began to leave.

"Thank you for having us, Mr. Bass. It has certainly been a pleasure," V said as he gave the man a firm handshake, "Also, perhaps if your schedule allows for it, it would certainly please Evey and I to have you at our home sometime for dinner. Are you available this week?"

A brief moment of surprise emerged on Mr. Bass's face before he grinned and nodded his head enthusiastically, "I would really enjoy that, Mr. Coulson. I do believe my schedule will be clear in the evenings for dinner. I will get in touch with Miss Hammond some time this week to figure out a day and time."

Both Evey and Mr. Finch gave V a bewildered look as he grinned and shook Mr. Bass's hand one more time before ushering Evey out the door. As they walked to the car, Evey took it upon herself to question V before they came in the presence of the driver, "Are you mad?" she spat, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as she tried to trace his face of any mischief.

"Of course not, my dear."

"Then what the hell was that?" she asked angrily.

"A new plan," he said quietly.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello everyone =^_^= It's been way too long since I have last posted a chapter! School and work have been taking up most of my time these past few months so it was hard for me to find time to write this chapter. I know there is so much fluff between V and Evey in this one, but I have to admit that I sort of planned on it being that way? I got very tired of reading fanfictions of them being awkward and weird with one another and wanted to write them more like how I would imagine them to be in the future and I hope that is refreshing and pleasing to you all as well! Anyways, I really hope you all have enjoyed reading this chapter and as always I have really enjoyed reading your comments and you all have been so lovely and encouraging and I very much appreciate that. Continue to let me know how I'm doing and hopefully I can start writing the next chapter very soon!**

 **ALSO if any of you are wondering how I imagine V to look as Atticus I've actually been inspired by a younger Hugo Weaving. He was just the cutest back then ;) ~merimekko**


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